Daniel Owusu, Linus K Ndegwa, Jorim Ayugi, Peter Kinuthia, Rosalia Kalani, Mary Okeyo, Nancy A Otieno, Gilbert Kikwai, Bonventure Juma, Peninah Munyua, Francis Kuria, Emmanuel Okunga, Ann C Moen, Gideon O Emukule
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the cocirculation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of respiratory disease sentinel surveillance platforms for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 activity in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe influenza and SARS-CoV-2 cocirculation in Kenya and how the SARS-CoV-2 data from influenza sentinel surveillance correlated with that of universal national surveillance. METHODS: From April 2020 to March 2022, we enrolled 7349 patients with severe acute respiratory illness or influenza-like illness at 8 sentinel influenza surveillance sites in Kenya and collected demographic, clinical, underlying medical condition, vaccination, and exposure information, as well as respiratory specimens, from them...
March 25, 2024: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance