Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: June | Volume: 10 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 298-302
Epidemiological Profile of Initial COVID-19 Positive Cases in a District of Trans-Himalayan Belt of Northern India
Rahul Gupta1, Aditya Sood1, RK Sood2, Vikram Katoch3, Gurdarshan Gupta4
1District Programme Officer, Office of Chief Medical Officer, District Kangra.
2District Surveillance Officer, Office of Chief Medical Officer, District Kangra.
3District Health Officer, Office of Chief Medical Officer, District Kangra.
4Chief Medical Officer, District Kangra.
Corresponding Author: Aditya Sood
Published: June 19, 2020
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India is 3,55,060 as on 17th June 2020. COVID-19 has been declared pandemic by WHO. The most common symptoms reported are fever and cough. The objective of the study was to describe the demographic profile and clinical course and outcome of first 100 Covid-19 positive laboratory confirmed cases in District Kangra of Himachal Pradesh.
Material And Methods: We conducted an observational descriptive study among first 100 confirmed Covid-19 positive cases over a period of three months in district Kangra. All those who had been diagnosed as a confirmed case of Covid-19 on RT-PCR were included in the study.
Results: The mean age group of the study participants was 36.83 years (SD= 16.25 years). The most common clinical presentation of confirmed cases was cough (54%) and cold (54%) followed by fever (43%) and shortness of breath (5%). Out of 100 cases, while 59 have recovered and have been discharged back to home, 40 cases are still active where as only 1 death has been reported in the district so far. Community spread has not yet been documented in our district.
Conclusion: The testing policy may be strengthened and robust contact tracing may be taken up by the public health experts and the epidemiologists to prevent community spread as much as possible. Social distancing and personal hygiene are the only recommended measures that can help us stay protected from corona virus.
Key words: COVID-19, Himachal, Kangra, Epidemiology.