Hospital Based Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and Clinico-Demographic Profile of COVID-19 Patients: A Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital of North India
Anjum Farhana
Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Srinagar and Associated Hospitals, Kashmir, India.
Shoaib Khan
Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Srinagar and Associated Hospitals, Kashmir, India.
Reyaz Khan
Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Srinagar and Associated Hospitals, Kashmir, India.
Umara Amin *
Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Baramulla, Kashmir, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To find out the prevalence, predominant risk factors and various clinico-demographic variables among patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the first year of the pandemic.
Study Design: Hospital based, cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Postgraduate department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Srinagar, and associated hospitals, between March 2020 and March 2021.
Methodology: Individuals with acute respiratory infection (ILI and SARI), high risk contacts and asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 positive patients, hospitalized patients dated for surgeries, pregnant women near expected date of deliveries, travellers were screened. A confirmed case of Covid-19 was defined as a positive result on real-time RT-PCR assay of nasopharyngeal and or Oropharyngeal swab specimens. A total of 2,17,665 samples were collected and processed over a period of one year.
Results: Out of 2,17,665 samples, 61.3% were males and 38.7% were females, overall mean age was 34.3 years. 24,009 (11%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, among them 63.5% were males while 36.5% were females, the mean age observed was 35.3 years. Highest positivity was observed in the age group of 30 – 39 years (22%), followed by 20 -29 years (20.4%), 12 (0.1%). Among positive cases, 19.4% had a history of contact with a lab confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2, 4.3% were HCW’s and 2.6% were pregnant females. 929 (3.9%) patients who tested positive had presented with SARI. Fever was the most common symptom (62%), followed by cough (41%) and fatigue was reported by 37% patients. Comorbidities were present in 23.2% patients, of which Hypertension 10.8% was the most common, followed by COPD 4.9% and Diabetes mellitus 4%.
Conclusion: As evident from our study, COVID-19 has a high positivity (11%) in our region, with males twice more likely susceptible than females. High percentages (62%) of people were symptomatic at presentation, while severe disease was seen in only 3.9% patients. Early aggressive testing is essential to decrease the morbidity and mortality rates associated with COVID-19.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID -19, real-time RT-PCR, comorbidities