European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: World Health Organization declared the COVID 19 epidemic as a
public health emergency of international concern. COVID 19 pandemic strain
health systems worldwide.
Objective: to show the characteristics of COVID 19 infection in in Samara General
Hospital, Salahaddin Province, Iraq.
Patients and Methods: this study includes 150 symptomatic patients who attend
Samara General Hospital during the period from August to October 2020. COVID
19 infection was confirmed by PCR testing.
Results: The mean age of patients was 42.4±14.3 years. The disease commonly
affected male patients (66%). The most common symptom at the time of
presentation of patients with COVID19 infection in this study were fever (90%),
cough (86.7%), fatigue (81.3%), hyposmia (80%), sweating (78.7%), Hypogeusia
(76.7%), chills (65.3%), sputum (59.3%), headache (54.7%), anorexia (52%), and
dyspnea (39.3%). Moreover, there were significant differences among mild,
moderate and severe cases regarding oxygen saturation, ESR and alanine
aminotransferase level.
Conclusion: COVID 19 infection is higher among young adults’ patients.
Hyposmia and hypogeusia are important associated symptoms. The risk factors of
severe illness include age of patients over 40 years, hypoxemia, and elevated ESR
and ALT levels.