Profile of COVID 19 positive patients of Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Current study aim to describe epidemiological, clinical and  demographic features in patients confirmed to have COVID-19 in Balochistan

Methods: This descriptive cross sectional Study was conducted during months of March and April 2020 based on the secondary data available regarding COVID-19 positive patients from the health service records of Government of Balochistan quarantine centers and hospitals during this period. Data was analyzed by using Excel and SPSS version 23. Mean and standard deviations are used for continuous variables like age and duration of stay (of recovered patients), while frequencies and percentages were used to describe age categories, point of entry and current status. Age specific case fatality rate is calculated by keeping deaths in numerator and confirmed cases in denominator.

Results: Mean age of respondents was 35.3±16.12 years , two third of the study population i.e,652(76.3%) were males,353 (40.6)% were in the age group 30-49 years and 417(48.9%) had history of contact with COVID-19 case. Overall case fatality rate was 1.87% and Age Specific Mortality Rate was found to be highest (30%) in age group 70 years and above

Conclusion: The epidemiologic behavior of COVID-19 infection introduced in Pakistani population from neighboring country has responded differently in community spread among different ethnic groups represented in different provinces of Pakistan. The case fatality ratios among Baloch ethnic group were much lower than international COVID-19 case responses