COVID-19 Epidemiology Study from a tertiary care center in North India

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Present pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) presenting mostly as infectious respiratory disease, has caused significant mortality and mobility during its course. The clinical characteristics and outcome of the infected people has been variedly reported in the literature. Epidemiological studies will provide public health authorities and government with an estimate of the burden and statistics which will help in future, to improve the response to pandemics. Methods: Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples, of suspected patients for COVID-19 were tested by RT-PCR. Retrospective data for the period of 2 years (March 2020 to February 2022) was evaluated considering the gender difference, clinical presentation and relation of the Ct-value with various parameters. Results: Total of 1,93,864 samples were processed and 7.5% positivity rate was reported. Among the total samples received 1,04,378/1,93,864 (54.8%) were males. Positivity rate was least in 1-9 years of age and maximum in > 80 years age. Clinically no symptom was specific for the disease, presentation of the patients range from mild symptoms to high grade fever, cough, sore throat, loss of smell and taste and also gastro-intestinal symptoms.1,75,407/1,93,864 (90.5%) were asymptomatic patients. Comparing the Ct value, considering the gender and symptom status, no significant difference was observed. Interpretation and Conclusions: Our study is an addition to the ongoing epidemiological data already available. More such studies will help in understanding the epidemiology at a national level.

Keywords: COVID-19, Epidemiology, Ct value, SARS-CoV-2, RTPCR