COVID-19: Epidemiological Analysis of 3034 cases in health professionals from the largest Hospital Complex in Latin America

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: According to a WHO note, since March 11, 2020, the planet has been living with an important pandemic. Human behavior and the environment are different at this point. There are countless deaths. Health workers are the main group exposed to COVID-19.Until Feb 9 2021, there were in Brazil 9599565 infected people. The aim of this work is to know the health professional (HP) profile of biggest Latin American hospital and which are the initial symptoms to better understand the disease. METHODS: This study describes healthcare profile of workers with COVID-19 symptoms in a 22000 employees’ hospital, Apr 13 2020-Feb 10 2021. Data was collected from exclusive registration system of medical attendance for symptomatic HP. RESULTS:There were 15540 medical attendances, of which 10660 RT/PCR exams were collected and 3034 (28,5%) had it positive to COVID-19. According to professional category, there were incidence of: 36,1% positive cases (PC) in the nursing team, 19,2% doctors, 12,3% female and the average age of PC was 38,4 yo. The main symptoms in PC were: 67,7% headache, 61,1% coughing, 55,1%, odynophagia, 44,8% coryza, 38,5% changing of smell and taste, 36,5% adynamia, 35,9% fever, 14,5% diarrhea, 13,2% dyspnea, 12,3% nausea/vomiting. 385 had comorbidities: 70,4% cardiovascular disease and 20,8% pulmonary diseases. 65,3% knew who could had passed them the disease and to 70,0% it happened at work. Comparing to all symptomatic people in 15540 medical attendances, the percentage of symptoms was similar to PC. CONCLUSIONS:The epidemiology of HP affected by COVID 19 helps in the creation of specific measures in the area of occupational health, especially when there is exclusive organizational structure for their medical attendance of these professionals. Identifying symptoms in HP contributes to identifying the profile and adopting health promotion and equity during the pandemic, and discussing about the environment. KEYWORDS: Epidemiology, Occupational epidemiology, Respiratory outcomes