Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Investigating the Factors Affecting SARS-COV-2 Transmission and Mortality Rate in Sub-Saharan Africa

Obuks Ejohwomu
* ORCID logo ,
Noor Al-Saffar
,
Samuel Adeniyi Adekunle
* ORCID logo ,
Majeed Oladokun
,
Judy Too
ORCID logo ,
Clinton Aigbavboa
ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 16 July 2022 / Approved: 19 July 2022 / Online: 19 July 2022 (04:05:25 CEST)

How to cite: Ejohwomu, O.; Al-Saffar, N.; Adekunle, S.A.; Oladokun, M.; Too, J.; Aigbavboa, C. Investigating the Factors Affecting SARS-COV-2 Transmission and Mortality Rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Preprints 2022, 2022070276. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202207.0276.v1 Ejohwomu, O.; Al-Saffar, N.; Adekunle, S.A.; Oladokun, M.; Too, J.; Aigbavboa, C. Investigating the Factors Affecting SARS-COV-2 Transmission and Mortality Rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Preprints 2022, 2022070276. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202207.0276.v1

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known globally as COVID-19, originated in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province in China and has rapidly spread across the globe ever since. The first recorded case in sub-Saharan Africa was in Nigeria, on the 25th February, 2020. The virus continues to spread, and new variants of the disease have emerged, the number of deaths and new infections in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa has been relatively low compared to predictive models. This could be due to several factors, such as slower transmission dynamics of the virus, a lower-case fatality rate, or a lack of testing or reliable data. Whilst this may also, in part, be due to the robustness of the nations' public health responses, there is scarce reporting on the specifics of this. However, emerging research has demonstrated that various environmental factors could influence virus transmission. The study adopted collected meteorological data that was critically analysed and discussed. The impact of three factors in the context of sub-Saharan African nations: temperature, ultraviolet (UV) exposure and pre-existing infection with Plasmodium (malaria) were discussed. These factors were discussed critically in light of the reduced rates of transmission and mortality observed.

Keywords

COVID-19; coronavirus; transmission; meteorological impact

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Virology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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