Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic posed an immense threat to one million Rohingya from Myanmar living in the world’s largest and most densely populated refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In response to the crisis and lack of COVID-19 testing as well as lack of awareness and widespread stigma against the disease, a global nonprofit, HAEFA, implemented “COVID-19-like Symptom Monitoring and Patient Follow-up System for the patients under home quarantine” in Kutupalong and Balukhali refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. The main objective of the monitoring by nine trained Rohingya volunteers by phone was to ensure prompt identification of severe symptoms (breathlessness and others) and hospitalization. We present here an evaluation of the prevalence of COVID-19-like symptoms, the development of severe disease requiring hospitalization, and mortality. Methods: Deidentified patient data (n = 553) collected from HAEFA’s Symptom Monitoring and Patient Follow-up System between September 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, were analyzed for a comprehensive analysis of COVID-19-like disease within the camps. Results: A total of 553 patients with COVID-19-like symptoms were registered at two HAEFA clinics. The mean age of the patients was 19.18 years, three patients were > 65 years old, and 53% (n = 293) of the patients were successfully followed up for 14 days. 95.85% of the followed-up patients stayed under home quarantine during the entire period. 91.2% experienced fever, and 23.7% had at least one risk factor for COVID-19. 12.18% of patients developed shortness of breath who were referred to nearby hospitals. In 21.72% of households, at least one family member developed similar symptoms. There were no reported mortalities. Conclusion: The home-based, remote symptom monitoring system by trained community volunteers successfully followed up 53% of patients (n = 293) with COVID-19-like symptoms for 14 days. This method helped detect early severe symptoms among 12% of patients under home quarantine and arranged effective referral for hospital-based management without mortality.
Jin et al. (Sun,) studied this question.