Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 in Frontline Health Care Workers

Abstract

2019 – Coronavirus diseases caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. In Gujarat, COVID-19’s first two cases were confirmed in Rajkot and Surat on 19th March 2020. In India to prevent COVID-19 cases from being: “test, track and treat”: For testing, RT-PCR is the gold standard test or frontline testing for the Coronavirus. The most prominent cause of infection in health care workers due to they were directly exposed to unrecognized COVID-19 patients. To determine the Infection rate and also assess the clinical profile of COVID-19 infections in health care workers. Sample collected from 2081 health care workers by universal sampling method during the period from April 2020 to November 2020. Nasopharyngeal and Oro-pharyngeal swabs were collected at the collection center and tested at the Viral Research Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), by RT-PCR (Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) Method. During the study period, there were 2081 suspected healthcare workers samples received from 70 Health care workers were positive. We observed 3.36 % Positivity rate, positivity was high in the age group of 20–30 years 64.2%, most common clinical presentation was a fever 82.8%, cough 47.1% and Sore throat 50% and 01 severely infected health care worker died during hospitalization. Health care workers were at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. So, to protect health care workers routine screening of asymptomatic staff and early identification of staff with potential infection could help to lower the risk. COVID-19 mortality was lower in health care workers.