Epidemiological Characteristics of Novel Covid-19 Waves Among Patients Registered in Benha University Hospital, 2020-2021.

Salem, Sabry Ahmed; Afify, Raniyah Hamdy; Araby, Eman Mohammed; El-mahdy, Mai Abdullah; Hussein, Neama Galal

doi:10.21608/bmfj.2022.121992.1546

Epidemiological Characteristics of Novel Covid-19 Waves Among Patients Registered in Benha University Hospital, 2020-2021.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Community Environmental and Occupational Medicine Department- Faculty of Medicine- Benha University

² Community Environmental and Occupational Medicine Department- Faculty of Medicine- Benha Universit

10.21608/bmfj.2022.121992.1546

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is a global pandemic spread all over the world with 315, 345, 967confirmed cases and causing over 5,510,174 deaths till the mid of Jan 2022. Objective: This is to assess differences between the first and second waves and to determine risk factors of susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 infection. Methods: a retrospective study was conducted on 206 patients with COVID-19, confirmed with RT-PCR in Benha University Hospital. Medical records were reviewed for socio-demographic characters, co-morbidities, and investigations while data about preventive measures and healthy behavior, complications, recurrence, and vaccination status were completed by contacting patients by telephone. Results: Patients not committed to regular hand washing had 2.72 times risk higher than those who committed to regular handwashing to be isolated in hospital (OR=2.72 CI; 1.44-5.13; p < 0.01), while patients not committed to the regular wearing of the mask had 1.91 times risk higher to be isolated in hospital than those who committed to it (37.3% vs. 23.7%) respectively (OR=1.91, CI; 1.02-3.60; p < 0.05). Co-morbidities such as Cardiac diseases, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with increased severity of COVID-19 infection. There was a strong positive correlation between the length of hospital stay and the duration of cigarette smoking (p < 0.01). Conclusions: smoking, presence of co-morbidities, and decreased commitment to preventive measures were significant risk factors of increased susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 infection.

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