Clinical and Epidemiological Features of COVID-19 Patients in Rafsanjan County, Iran: A Secondary Data based Study

Abstract

Background: Information about COVID-19 patients must be studied meticulously to control the COVID-19 pandemic more effectively. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19 patients in Rafsanjan County. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, data of 3,212 patients referred to the Ali-Ibn Abitaleb Hospital in Rafsanjan County, Iran were recorded. Collected data included demographic information (age, sex, etc.), information about the method of referral to the hospital, contact history, previous history of infections, clinical symptoms associated with the disease, and data on comorbidities. Data were analyzed using a chi-square test and logistic regression coefficients. Results: The three common clinical symptoms were fevers (46%), muscular pain (44.6%), and coughs (34%). The most common comorbidity was hypertension (7.9%), and the case fatality rate was 10.8%. Besides, the death ratio in confirmed patients was significantly higher than that in suspected cases (P < 0.001). The chance of death in men was 16% higher than Women's (OR = 1.166). The chance of death in people with cancer and in people with reduced levels of consciousness was 9.1 and 5.5 times, respectively, higher than that in patients without comorbidity (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Most of the features of our patients resembled those reported in previous research. The results of this study can contribute to healthcare policymaking for this disorder. © The Author(s) 2022;All rights reserved. Published by Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences Press.