First case report of a successfully managed severe COVID-19 infection in Malawi

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is now established on the African continent, with cases rapidly increasing in Malawi (1742 confirmed cases and 19 deaths as of 5 July 20201). Clinicians require guidelines, deliverable in the Malawi context, to effectively and safely treat patients for the best possible outcome. In Malawi, key public messages around social distancing, hand washing and shielding for at-risk individuals have been widely distributed by the Ministry of Health. However, it has not been possible to implement strict lockdown measures in Malawi due to the risk of widespread economic disruption, hunger, worsened food insecurity, risk of violence and mass political rallies. Testing rates are low such that the number of confirmed cases in Malawi is likely to significantly under-represent the actual number of cases. As the epidemic unfolds, it is vital that doctors implement standardised case management guidelines to improve survival for patients who require hospital admission. The majority of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 require medical-ward level care, including provision of adequate oxygen3. Increased oxygen provision has been a major focus of COVID-19 preparedness activities in Malawi.