Retrospective overview of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Mauritania
Autor
Vally, Abdallahi El
Bollahi, Mohamed Abdallahi
Ahmedou Salem, Mohamed Salem Ould
Deida, Jemila
Parola, Philippe
Basco, Leonardo
Bara, Ahmed El
Ouldadallahi, Mohamed
Salem Boukhary, Ali Ould Mohamed
Institución
Resumen
A COVID-19 outbreak is currently ongoing in Mauritania. Until July 1, 2020, Mauritania
health authorities reported 41,862 serological and RT-qPCR tests performed, of which 4,472
(10.7%) were positive for SARS-Cov-2. Males were significantly more affected (57.1%) than
females (42.9%). Individuals of the age groups 15–34 (35.8%) and 35–54 (36.6%) years were
the most affected. There were 129 (2.9%) deaths, 1,677 (37.5%) recoveries and 2,666 (59.6%)
active cases of whom 2,261 (84.8%) were asymptomatic, 394 (14.7%) with mild symptoms
and 11 (0.4%) severe cases. A large proportion of fatalities (72%; 85/118) occurred among
adults aged ≥ 55 years. Of 4,472 positive cases, 4,241 (94.8%) were infected through contact
with a confirmed COVID-19 case, 133 (3.0%) had no contact with confirmed COVID-19
case, and 98 (2.2%) were imported. As a riposte against COVID-19, the Mauritanian
authorities announced a set of preventive measures, including closure of land and air borders,
nocturne curfew, closure of markets, schools, and universities, and restriction of movement
between cities. Control measures include the systematic testing of symptomatic patients,
isolation and management of active cases, contact tracing, and quarantine of people who have
been in contact with a COVID-19-positive individual. We discuss the efforts of the
Mauritanian government to combat this potentially life-threatening pneumonia.