Abstract: Characteristics and outcomes of admitted patients infected with SARS-­ CoV-2 in Uganda Bruce Kirenga ‍ ‍,1 Winters Muttamba,1 Alex Kayongo,1 Christopher Nsereko,2 Trishul Siddharthan,3 John Lusiba,4 Levicatus Mugenyi,1 Rosemary K Byanyima,5 William Worodria,6 Fred Nakwagala,7 Rebecca Nantanda,1 Ivan Kimuli,1 Winceslaus Katagira,1 Bernard Sentalo Bagaya,8 Emmanuel Nasinghe,8 Hellen Aanyu-­Tukamuhebwa,9 Beatrice Amuge,10 Rogers Sekibira,1 Esther Buregyeya,11 Noah Kiwanuka,11 Moses Muwanga,12 Samuel Kalungi,13 Moses Lutaakome Joloba,8 David Patrick Kateete,8 Baterana Byarugaba,7 Moses R Kamya,14 Henry Mwebesa,15 William Bazeyo16 To cite: Kirenga B, Muttamba W, Kayongo A, et al. Characteristics and outcomes of admitted patients infected with SARS-­CoV-2 in Uganda. BMJ Open Resp Res 2020;7:e000646. doi:10.1136/ bmjresp-2020-000646 ABSTRACT Rationale Detailed data on the characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 in sub-­Saharan Africa are limited. Objective We determined the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Uganda. Measurements As of the 16 May 2020, a total of 203 ►► Additional material is cases had been confirmed. We report on the first 56 published online only. To patients; 29 received hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and 27 view, please visit the journal did not. Endpoints included admission to intensive care, online (http://​dx.​doi.​org/​10.​ mechanical ventilation or death during hospitalisation. 1136/​bmjresp-​2020-​000646). Main results The median age was 34.2 years; 67.9% were male; and 14.6% were <18 years. Up 57.1% of Received 21 May 2020 the patients were asymptomatic. The most common Revised 24 August 2020 symptoms were fever (21.4%), cough (19.6%), rhinorrhea Accepted 25 August 2020 (16.1%), headache (12.5%), muscle ache (7.1%) and fatigue (7.1%). Rates of comorbidities were 10.7% (pre-­existing hypertension), 10.7% (diabetes) and 7.1% (HIV), Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥30 36.6%. 37.0% had a blood pressure (BP) of >130/90 mm Hg, and 27.8% had BP of >140/90 mm Hg. Laboratory derangements were leucopenia (10.6%), lymphopenia (11.1%) and thrombocytopenia (26.3%). Abnormal chest X-­ray was observed in 14.3%. No patients reached the primary endpoint. Time to clinical recovery was shorter among patients who received HCQ, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion Most of the patients with COVID-19 presented with mild disease and exhibited a clinical trajectory not similar to other countries. Outcomes did not differ by HCQ treatment status in line with other concluded studies on © Author(s) (or their the benefit of using HCQ in the treatment of COVID-19. employer(s)) 2020. Re-­use permitted under CC BY-­NC. No commercial re-­use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. For numbered affiliations see end of article. Correspondence to Dr Bruce Kirenga; ​brucekirenga@​yahoo.​co.​uk