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

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.