Presenting Nutrition Characteristics, Comorbidities and Outcomes of COVID-19 in African Humanitarian Settings
Presenting Nutrition Characteristics, Comorbidities and Outcomes of COVID-19 in African Humanitarian Settings
This study will characterize risk factors for poor COVID-19 outcomes (hospitalization, death)
 and clinical progression of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in South Sudan and Eastern
 Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A prospective cohort design will be used to follow suspected, probable, and confirmed
 COVID-19 cases presenting for care at International Medical Corp [supported] health
 facilities in Juba, South Sudan and the Kivus in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
 (DRC). This research seeks to assess risk factors for poor outcomes and characterize clinical
 disease progression of COVID-19 cases in resource-poor humanitarian contexts in Africa.
 Specifically, this study aims to characterize risk factors for poor COVID-19 outcomes,
 including both co-morbidities with evidence from high income settings, as well as prevalent
 conditions in humanitarian settings (e.g., acute malnutrition, malaria, HIV) for which data
 is not yet available. This research also aims to determine how the progression of confirmed
 COVID-19 cases in resource-poor African settings may differ from other settings where data
 are available.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Suspected, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 cases presenting for care at participating
 health facilities (either by walk-in, referral or transfer) or identified by mobile
 contact tracing teams.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Individuals unable or unwilling to give informed consent (e.g., due to mental
 impairment)