Abstract

Background and purpose: The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is a major threat to global public health because it is very contagious and spreads quickly by human-tohuman transmission. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients infected with COVID-19 in Saveh, Iran. Materials and methods: A descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 1537 patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 from 18 February-2 June 2020. Medical records were studied and a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of demographic information, epidemiological, and clinical manifestations were used to collect the data. Results: There were significant differences between patients tested positive and negative for COVID-19 in terms of gender, age, duration of hospitalization, and contact with a patient with confirmed COVID-19 (P<0.05). The main symptoms of patients included cough (43.8), fever (41.4), and dyspnea (40.3). The most common chronic diseases in these patients were cardiovascular disease (12.9), diabetes (11.5), and hypertension (9.7). The mean age of death due to COVID-19 was 70.2±15.6 years and higher rate of mortality was seen in men (66.2). Conclusion: While responding to COVID-19, health authorities should consider vulnerable groups (older patients and those with underlying diseases) and provide them with more information on the modes of transmission of COVID-19 and the risks of infection. © 2021, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.