Atypical respiratory distress in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. A case report

• Published in: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines
• Main Authors: Guy-Quesney Mateso, Marius Baguma, Pacifique Mwene-Batu, Ghislain Maheshe Balemba, Fabrice Nzabara, Samuel Makali, Aline Bedha, Bonheur Furaha, Jimmy Minani, Christian Tshongo Muhindo, Espoir Bwenge Malembaka, Mannix Imani Masimango, Tony Akilimali Shindano, Justin Cirhuza Cikomola, Kanigula Mubagwa
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2021
• Subjects: COVID-19; SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus; Pandemic; Democratic Republic of the Congo; DRC; Case report; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-021-00134-6; https://doaj.org/article/95de80cb80de4d8bade79c568f9a0b75

Abstract Background Predictions have been made that Africa would be the most vulnerable continent to the novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Interestingly, the spread of the disease in Africa seems to have been delayed and initially slower than in many parts of the world. Here we report on two cases of respiratory distress in our region before the official declaration of the disease in December 2019, cases which in the present times would be suspect of COVID-19. Case presentation These two cases (one 55-year-old man and one 25-year-old woman) of acute respiratory distress secondary to atypical pneumonia were seen in Bukavu, in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between September and December 2019. One patient had returned from China and the other had close contacts with travellers from China in the 2 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. In either case, the aetiology could not be accurately determined. However, the two cases presented a clinical picture (progressive dyspnoea, preceded by dry cough and fever) and laboratory changes (procalcitonin within the normal range, slight inflammation, and lymphopenia) compatible with a viral infection. The chest X-ray series of the first patient showed lesions (reticulations, ground glass, and nodules ≤6 mm) similar to those currently found in COVID-19 patients. In addition, unlike the 25-year-old female patient who had no comorbidity, the 55-year-old male patient who had hypertension as comorbidity, developed a more severe acute respiratory distress which progressed to death. Conclusion These cases bring to the attention the fact that COVID-19-like syndromes may have already been present in the region months before the official beginning of the pandemic. This also brings to question whether a prior presence of the disease or infections with related virus may account for the delayed and less extensive development of the pandemic in the region.