Home care for COVID-19 patients: Niger’s experience; about 2,037 cases in the city of Niamey

• Home care managed 2,037 mild COVID-19 cases in Niamey, Niger. • 94.8% of patients recovered, most between days 10–15 of treatment. • Hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin used in 98.6% of cases, with few side effects. • Only 3.9% required hospitalization; mortality rate was 0.7%. • Home monitoring proved effective in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and clinical course profiles of patients receiving home care for COVID-19 in the city of Niamey. This was a descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted over a one-year period, from April 2020 to March 2021, focusing on the management of patients with COVID-19 in Niamey. All patients presenting with a mild form of the disease, identified and monitored by mobile teams, were included in this study. A total of 2,037 patients were included. Men accounted for 69.1% (n = 1,407). The mean age was 39 ± 15.1 years, ranging from 1 to 86 years. Screening of index cases accounted for 69.3% of diagnostic circumstances. Comorbidities were present in 24.4% of patients (n = 497), and 63.6% (n = 1,295) were asymptomatic. Hydroxychloroquine and/or azithromycin were used in 98.7% of cases (n = 2,010), and adverse effects related to hydroxychloroquine were observed in 1.0% (n = 19) of patients. During follow-up, 3.9% (n = 79) of patients were subsequently hospitalised. In total, 94.9% (n = 1,932) were declared recovered, of whom 74.3% (n = 1,432) between the 10th and 15th day of treatment. Finally, 0.7% (n = 15) of patients died, representing 19.0% of those who were subsequently hospitalised. The favourable outcome observed in the majority of patients demonstrates the effectiveness of home care for mild forms of COVID-19, enabling early detection of severe cases and rapid intervention. However, prevention remains the best way to combat this pandemic