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EXPLORING THE SECRETS OF THE CORONA VIRUS: MORTALITY DUE TO COVID-19; COVID-19 KILLS OR CONTRIBUTE TO KILL

Hamzullah Khan, Saadullah Afridi, Faridullah Shah, Mohammad Khalid and Khan Abu Zar

Objectives: To determine whether COVID-19 kills or it contributes to kill by evaluating the data of positive COVID-19 patients and the deceased with positive virology.

Materials and Methods: A total of 243 patients with PCR done from the government designated Public Health Research Laboratory of Khyber Medical University were included in a cross-sectional comparative study. Chi-square test, risk analysis, probability testing, and survival analysis using the Kaplan Meir test was done on the data sheet prepared in SPPS version 25^th in accordance with the objectives of the study.

Results: Out of total 243 patients, 165 (67.90%) were negative by PCR testing, and 78 (32.09%) were COVID-19 positive. The mean age with SD was 36 ± 17 years. Out of total 178 (73.3%) were males and 65 (26.7%) were females. 34 (13.99%) had aged more than 55 years, where 4/5 (80%) of the deaths were recorded. The relationship of an increase in age with the rate of mortality was statistically significant (p=0.001). The overall probability of death in our population age more than 55 years is 24 times higher (OR=24,95 CI: 2.6-221.24) with a relative risk of 1.1 (rr=1.11, 95 CI:1-1.24). The mortality rate was 6.41%. A significant correlation of mortality with case positivity (p=0.003) with relative risk of 1.06 (rr=1.06,95 CI: 1.008-1.13). Three out of 5 of the COVID-19 positive deceased had cardiac diseases and 2/5 had respiratory disease/viral pneumonia. Using Kaplan Meir test, the survival graphs of COVID positive vs COVID negative cases had a similar pattern that shows the mortality rate in the positive cases was not solely due to COVID-19 but has aggravated the pre-existing illness to cause death.

Conclusion: The mortality rate was 6.41%, more in age>55 years (80%) and almost all the deceased had chronic co-morbid conditions like CAD, CCF, and COPD at the time of presentation. COVID-19 is not the sole killer, it contributes to killing in immune-deficient patients.