COVID-19 outbreak in Iraqi Kurdistan: The first report characterizing epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings of the disease

Author/s
Merza M.A.,
Haleem Al Mezori A.A.,
Mohammed H.M.,
Abdulah D.M.
Year
Language
English
Document Type
Article
Source Title
Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd

Description

Introduction: On March 11, 2020, the novel coronavirus was declared a global pandemic. The disease was named COVID-19 standing for coronavirus disease 2019. The objectives were to determine the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients. Methods: In this prospective descriptive study, 15 confirmed hospitalized cases of COVID-19 between 18th March and April 7, 2020 were followed-up till discharge. Results: There were 15 reported patients infected by 3 imported index cases from Europe. The mean age of the patients was 28.06 (SD: 16.42 years). The patients’ age stratification was as follows: 0–5 (2, 13.3%); 6–18 (2, 13.3); 19–50 (10, 66.7%), and 51–64 years (1, 6.7%). The patients were male (9, 60.0%) and female (6, 40.0%). Most of the patients had mild disease severity (13, 86.7%), followed by mild-moderate (1, 6.7%) and moderate-severe (1, 6.7%). The study revealed that 6 patients were asymptomatic, and 9 patients were symptomatic. The most common symptoms were: fever (n = 8; 53.3%), cough (n = 7; 46.7%), shortness of breath (n = 3; 20.0%), fatigue (n = 3; 20.0%), and taste and smell disorders (n = 4; 26.7%). All patients were recovered and discharged over a median of 8 between 8 and 21 days. The mean and Std. deviation values of the hematological were: WBC: 6.57 (1.86); neutrophil count: 3.75 (1.26); lymphocyte count: 1.87 (0.41); Hb: 13.89 (1.26); platelet count: 207.67 (52.21). Conclusion: All COVID-19 cases were linked to foreign visits with few local transmissions to close contacts without community transmission. The majority of cases were mild illnesses with full recovery. © 2020 Diabetes India

Migration angle
Region/Country (by coverage)
Index Keywords

antibiotic agent; azithromycin; hemoglobin; hydroxychloroquine; lopinavir plus ritonavir; oseltamivir; azithromycin; hydroxychloroquine; oseltamivir; adolescent; adult; Article; child; chill; clinical article; clinical feature; coronavirus disease 2019; coughing; disease severity; dyspnea; epidemiological data; Europe; fatigue; female; fever; hematological parameters; human; Iraqi Kurdistan; laboratory test; leukocyte count; lymphocyte count; male; middle aged; neutrophil count; platelet count; pneumonia; preschool child; priority journal; prospective study; radiological parameters; rhinorrhea; school child; smelling disorder; sore throat; taste disorder; young adult; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus infection; follow up; Iraq; pandemic; pathogenicity; pathophysiology; patient education; severity of illness index; thorax radiography; travel related disease; treatment outcome; virology; virus pneumonia; Adolescent; Adult; Azithromycin; Betacoronavirus; Child; Child, Preschool; Coronavirus Infections; Cough; Fatigue; Female; Fever; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hydroxychloroquine; Iraq; Male; Middle Aged; Olfaction Disorders; Oseltamivir; Pandemics; Patient Education as Topic; Pneumonia, Viral; Prospective Studies; Radiography, Thoracic; Severity of Illness Index; Taste Disorders; Travel-Related Illness; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult