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. 2025 Jan-Feb:63:102785.
doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2024.102785. Epub 2024 Nov 20.

Epidemiology and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dadaab Refugee Camp Complex, Kenya, March 2020-December 2022

Maurice Ope  1 , Raymond Musyoka  2 , Abdihakim Kosar  3 , Mohammed Osman  3 , Abdijamal Hassan  4 , Hussein Mohammed  5 , Penina Munyua  6 , Bonventure Juma  6 , Elizabeth Hunsperger  6 , Sofia Mohammed  7 , John Burton  8 , Rachel B Eidex  2
Affiliations

Epidemiology and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dadaab Refugee Camp Complex, Kenya, March 2020-December 2022

Maurice Ope et al. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2025 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Introduction: Refugee settings may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and death, yet data on the response to the pandemic in these populations is scarce.

Methods: We describe interventions to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Dadaab Refugee Camp Complex, Kenya and performed descriptive analyses using March 2020 to December 2022 data from Kenya's national SARS-CoV-2 repository and line list of positive cases maintained by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). We calculated case fatality rates (CFR) and attack rates per 100,000 (AR) using the 2019 national census and population statistics from UNHCR and compared them to national figures.

Results: SARS-CoV-2 infection was first reported in April and May 2020, among host community members and refugees respectively. Of 964 laboratory-confirmed cases, 700 (72.6 %) were refugees. The AR was 82.7 (95 % CI 72.6-92.8) for host community members, 228.3 (95 % CI 211.3-245.4) for refugees and 721.1 (95 % CI 718.7-723.5) nationally. The CFR was 1.5 % (95 % CI 0.15-3.18) for host community members, 1.76 % (95 % CI 1.71-1.80) nationally and 7.4 % (95 % CI 5.4-9.4) for refugees. Mitigation measures implemented by the Government of Kenya, UNHCR and partners during the pandemic included multisectoral coordination, movement restrictions, mass gathering bans, and health promotion. Social distancing, symptom screening and mandatory mask usage were enforced during mass gatherings. Testing capacity was bolstered, quarantine and isolation facilities established, and vaccination initiated.

Conclusions: Despite a low AR and UNHCR's swift and comprehensive response, refugees' CFR was high, underscoring their vulnerability and need for targeted interventions during epidemic responses.

Keywords: COVID-19; Epidemiology; Pandemic response; Refugees; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Weekly SARS-CoV-2 infection attack rates for Kenya, refugees and host population, March 12, 2020, to December 31, 2022.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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