ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is life-threatening infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 has been widely transmitted throughout Ethiopia, with over 501,060 cases confirmed and 7574 deaths until November 2023. This study assessed for the first time the seroprevalence SARS-CoV-2 in the general population of the Somali Region during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was conducted from May to June 2021 in 14 districts of Somali Region. Blood samples were collected in 820 participants in addition to administering a questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics and history of clinical symptoms of COVID-19. Blood samples were tested for the presence or absence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit (Euroimmun). RESULTS: Overall, 477 (58.2%) were male and 343 (41.8%) were female. The majority of the participants (N = 581; 70.9%) were between 18 and 34 years old and not vaccinated against COVID-19 (N = 793; 96.7%). The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 41.7% (95% CI: 33.3%-47.6%). The highest prevalence was found in Goljano district (70%) and the lowest in Gunagado district (22.5%). Only age was found to be associated with COVID-19 seropositivity. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was the highest ever reported in Ethiopia, indicating that a large proportion of the population had been infected 14 months after the start of the outbreak in the country. Such studies are important to swiftly reassess and improve specific COVID-19 preventive and control measures to reduce transmissions within the community in a given setting.
