First Cases of Sars-cov-2 Reinfection Coinciding with the Covid-19 Second Wave, Benin City, Nigeria.

Background: Reinfection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has important public health implications pertaining to herd immunity and durability of protection from vaccines. A small but growing number of cases have been reported globally but none from Africa. This is due, in part, to adherence to definitions based on genetic sequencing, the capabilities of which are in short supply on the continent.

Methods: Based on epidemiological and clinical parameters, we report the first two cases of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection from a Nigerian tertiary hospital managing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

Result: Two cases of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection were seen in December, 2020 and January, 2021. Both were males associated with a healthcare setting and aged 37 and 38 years respectively. The number of days between the first infection and the second ranged from 160-196 days. Symptoms ranged from mild to moderate and they recovered without sequelae.

Conclusion: Public health action, including risk communication and reinfection surveillance backed by genomic sequencing, is advocated.