An Epidemiologic Analysis of COVID-۱۹ and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) Based on Hospital Data in Hormozgan Province in the South of Iran

Background: From the general health perspective, the epidemiology of COVID-۱۹ in Hormozgan Province, a region in the south ofIran marked by heavy traffic, can provide useful information to help control the epidemic of the disease in other provinces and thewhole country.Objectives: Thus, the present research aimed to epidemiologically analyze COVID-۱۹ patients and patients with severe acute respiratoryinfection (SARI) based on hospital data in Hormozgan Province.Methods: In the present observational, analytical, cross-sectional study, the epidemiologic data of all ۲,۰۵۵ patients with the symptomsof acute respiratory problems who visited hospitals in Hormozgan between February ۲۰, ۲۰۲۰, and April ۱۹, ۲۰۲۰, were analyzedand reported. Patients’ demographic information included gender, age, and background diseases. Tabulated data, frequencies,and percentages were used for descriptive statistics, and the chi-squared test and odds ratios were used for inferential statistics.Results: The ratios of male to femaleamongpeople with COVID-۱۹ and respiratory infection were ۱.۱۵ and ۱.۱۲, respectively. Themeanage of the participants was ۴۲.۸ ۲۱ years. The results revealed that contact with patients had the highest odds ratio (۵.۴۱ - ۹.۳۰, OR= ۷.۰۹) regarding COVID-۱۹ as compared to SARI. Reduced sense of smell (۱.۸۶ - ۱۲.۸۷, OR = ۴.۸۹), muscular pain (۱.۲۴ - ۲.۱۴, OR = ۱.۶۳),coughs (۱.۱۴ - ۱.۸۶, OR = ۱.۴۶), and fever (۱.۱۴ - ۱.۸۳, OR = ۱.۴۵) showed to have the highest odds ratios concerning the symptoms. Asfor background diseases, cardiovascular disease (۱.۰۰۴ - ۲.۱۱۰, OR = ۱.۴۵۵), asthma (OR = ۱.۶۰۳, ۱.۰۴۰ - ۲.۴۷۳), and pulmonary chronicdisease (۱.۴۵۶ - ۳.۸۵۴, OR = ۲.۳۶۹) had the highest odds ratios.Conclusions: The present findings showed a statistically significant correlation between age and affliction with COVID-۱۹. Moreover,the most prevalent symptoms of the disease were reduced sense of smell, muscular pain, coughs, and fever, as already mentionedin similar studies. The present research showed that patients with cardiovascular disease, asthma, or chronic pulmonarydisease had the highest risk of COVID-۱۹.

Keywords:

COVID-۱۹ , Epidemiology , SARS-CoV-۲ , Hormozgan