Coronavirus-infected Patients Research Articles

Therapeutic Management with Repurposing Approaches: A Mystery During COVID-19 Outbreak.

The ubiquitous pandemic that emerged due to COVID-19 affected the whole planet. People all over the globe became vulnerable to the unpredictable emergence of coronavirus. The sudden emergence of respiratory disease in coronavirus infected several patients. This affected human life drastically, from mild symptoms to severe illness, leading to mortality. COVID-19 is an exceptionally communicable disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. According to a genomic study, the viral spike RBD interactions with the host ACE2 protein from several coronavirus strains and the interaction between RBD and ACE2 highlighted the potential change in affinity from the virus causing the COVID-19 outbreak to a progenitor type of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2, which could be the principal reservoir, is phylogenetically related to the SARS-like bat virus. Other research works reported that intermediary hosts for the transmission of viruses to humans could include cats, bats, snakes, pigs, ferrets, orangutans, and monkeys. Even with the arrival of vaccines and individuals getting vaccinated and treated with FDAapproved repurposed drugs like Remdesivir, the first and foremost steps aimed towards the possible control and minimization of community transmission of the virus include social distancing, self-realization, and self-health care. In this review paper, we discussed and summarized various approaches and methodologies adopted and proposed by researchers all over the globe to help with the management of this zoonotic outbreak by following repurposed approaches.

Analysis of the correlative factors of long-term positive nucleic acid and the characteristics of nucleic acid conversion in novel coronavirus infected patients

To analyze the correlative factors of long-term positive nucleic acid and the characteristics of negative nucleic acid conversion in novel coronavirus infected patients.Novel coronavirus infected patients who were hospitalized in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital from December 2022 to June 2023 were retrospectively included. Patients who were positive for novel coronavirus nucleic acid for ≥30 days were selected as the long-positive group, and age-and sex-matched patients with novel coronavirus nucleic acid for <30 days were selected as the control group. The clinical data of all enrolled patients were collected. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of the positive duration of nucleic acid ≥30 days. The Cox risk ratio model was used to analyze the risk factors for the prognosis of severe patients during hospitalization, and the difference in the time of nucleic acid conversion between the upper and lower respiratory tract was compared between the groups. A total of 30 patients were included in the long-positive group, including 24 males and 6 females, aged [M (Q1, Q3)] 77 (64, 86) years. Fifty-eight patients were included in the control group, including 46 males and 12 females, aged 78 (66, 86) years. Transplantation status (OR=50.32, 95%CI: 1.98-1 278.63, P=0.018), malignant tumor (OR=12.85, 95%CI: 1.65-99.88, P=0.015), CD4+T cell count (OR=0.99, 95%CI: 0.99-1.00, P=0.005) were correlative factors for positive nucleic acid≥30 days. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score (HR=1.12, 95%CI: 1.03-1.22, P=0.012) and nucleic acid positive time (HR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.01-1.33, P=0.031) were correlative factors for death in severe patients. The nucleic acid conversion time of the lower respiratory tract specimens in both groups was later than that of the upper respiratory tract specimens (all P<0.001). Weakened underlying immunity is a correlative factor for long-term novel coronavirus nucleic acid positivity, and long-term positive novel coronavirus nucleic acid in severe patients indicates high risk of death. The nucleic acid of the lower respiratory tract specimen turned negative later than the upper respiratory tract specimen.

Potent Antiviral Activity of Vitamin B12 against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, and Human Coronavirus 229E.

Repurposing vitamins as antiviral supporting agents is a rapid approach used to control emerging viral infections. Although there is considerable evidence supporting the use of vitamin supplementation in viral infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the specific role of each vitamin in defending against coronaviruses remains unclear. Antiviral activities of available vitamins on the infectivity and replication of human coronaviruses, namely, SARS-CoV-2, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), were investigated using in silico and in vitro studies. We identified potential broad-spectrum inhibitor effects of Hydroxocobalamin and Methylcobalamin against the three tested CoVs. Cyanocobalamin could selectively affect SARS-CoV-2 but not MERS-CoV and HCoV-229E. Methylcobalamin showed significantly higher inhibition values on SARS-CoV-2 compared with Hydroxocobalamin and Cyanocobalamin, while Hydroxocobalamin showed the highest potent antiviral activity against MERS-CoV and Cyanocobalamin against HCoV-229E. Furthermore, in silico studies were performed for these promising vitamins to investigate their interaction with SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and HCoV-229E viral-specific cell receptors (ACE2, DPP4, and hAPN protein, respectively) and viral proteins (S-RBD, 3CL pro, RdRp), suggesting that Hydroxocobalamin, Methylcobalamin, and Cyanocobalamin may have significant binding affinity to these proteins. These results show that Methylcobalamin may have potential benefits for coronavirus-infected patients.

Coronavirus and Sexual Transmission: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS) was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Although the respiratory system is infected in this disease, other tissues are prone to coronavirus attack so that the male reproductive system is another target for the virus causing sexual transmission of coronavirus. This study systematically examined the results of studies conducted on COVID-19 and possible sexual transmission of this virus. Method: This was a systematic review study in which the articles and papers were collected by using some keywords such as COVID-19, Semen, Novel Coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, ACE2, and Male Infertility searching through databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar) using OR and AND operators from December 2019 to November 2020. Finally, 13 papers as eligible articles were studied. Findings: The collected papers were reviewed, and ultimately 13 papers were entered into this study. According to current studies, the Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2), which is found abundantly in testicles can perform as a cellular receptor for SARS-COV-2. This finding is the foundation of this hypothesis that human testis and semen can be infected by SARS-COV-2. In particular, a study showed that SARS-COV-2 might be detected in semen of patients with COVID-19 while other studies found no viral RNA in testicular biopsy tissue. Furthermore, some studies concluded that this virus, even in the acute phase, could not infect testicles or the male genital system. Accordingly, no evidence confirms that this virus can be transmitted through male genital organs. Conclusion: Although this virus has not been detected in semen fluid and it has not been sexually transmitted, one study found this virus in semen of coronavirus-infected patients and introduced its possible sexual transmission. Therefore, there is a low probability of sexual transmission of coronavirus.

Computed Tomography Image Segmentation of Lung Corona Virus Infection Region Based on Combination of Grayscale Morphological Reconstruction and Fast Marching Method

Recently, X-ray computed tomography-imaging modality is considered as golden standard for diagnosis of coronavirus lungs infection. In worldwide, infectious patients increase rapidly that lead to weariness in health services staff, as well as instant treatment required to avoid patients’ health deterioration due to infection development. Image processing would be reinforcing health services by considering computer-based segmentation. However, a ground glass computed tomography image fashion of coronavirus lungs infection characterized by disappearance of edge region of interest and lack of object structure. In this study, these challenges addressed by introducing a new algorithm that combined both morphological reconstruction and fast marching method. The proposed algorithm applied on archived computed tomography dataset for coronavirus infected patients, results showed consistent determination of ground glass infection region compared to manual delineation of senior physician. The proposed algorithm restricted to empirical adjustment of FMM’s threshold that would be addressed in upcoming study.

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Specific Antibodies in Recovered Patients by Different ELISA Kits.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. As long as the 27th of December 2021, approximately 280 million people have been infected with coronavirus, resulting in more than 5,418,421 deaths worldwide. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, different methods were introduced for diagnosing coronavirus-infected patients and evaluating the immune response, following the vaccination. The current study aimed to compare the level of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) specific IgG in a group of patients who recovered from COVID-19, measured by three different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. This cross-sectional study was conducted on sera from patients who recovered from a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 in Birjand, South Khorasan, Iran. SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) protein IgG levels were measured using commercial ELISA kits. Comparison between groups was made using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests. The mean titer of anti-N IgG was significantly higher for the PishtazTeb Diagnostics kit than the Ideal Tashkhis Atieh kit (p<0.05). There was no correlation between the titer of anti-N IgG (PishtazTeb Diagnostics and Ideal Tashkhis Atieh) and anti-S IgG (Chemobind Company) antibodies. This study indicates that the domestic ELISA kits have variable but acceptable sensitivity for detecting SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies.

Anxiety and Health Concerns among Healthcare Personnel Working with COVID-19 Patients: A Self-Assessment Study.

BACKGROUND Anxiety disorders are currently among the most common psychiatric diagnoses. This study aimed to analyze self-assessment of anxiety disorders, depression, and quality of life among healthcare personnel working during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on sociodemographic sources and psychological indicators. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study covered a group of 318 healthcare professionals from Poland. The study used a self-created questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, WHOQOL-BREF, Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), and Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale. RESULTS In the study group, 71.1% of the respondents had coronavirus infection, and only 3.5% were not vaccinated. Almost half (45.6%) of the respondents in this group made independent decisions about performing work (45.6%), and 93.4% were satisfied with their work. Less than half of respondents (46.5%) felt work-related anxiety during the pandemic, 54.7% of respondents reported symptoms of depression, and 57% had a good quality of life. Nearly half (47.2%) of the respondents rated their health as good, but 53.1% feared deterioration after performing the aforementioned work, while 87.1% constantly or periodically felt anxious about their work. CONCLUSIONS Although the respondents usually made their own decisions about working with coronavirus-infected patients, most of them experienced anxiety related to their work during the pandemic and were afraid of damaging their health and contracting COVID-19. In self-assessment using standardized questionnaires, most respondents did not show an increase in generalized or social anxiety, but to a greater or lesser extent were diagnosed with a depressive episode. The majority of respondents had a good quality of life: the highest aspect regarded physical functioning and the lowest regarded social functioning.

Correlation of monocytopenia with aging in COVID-19 infected patients.

Objectives: To observe the effect of aging on monocyte count in COVID-19 infected patients. Study Design: Observational study. Setting: Rawal Institute of Health Sciences Islamabad, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad. Period: April 2021 till July 2021. Material &amp; Methods: Adult humans of total 100 in numbers, suffering from corona virus with positive PCR test were selected. They were divided in two groups with 50 patients in group A and 50 patients in group B. Inclusion criteria was COVID-19 infected patients belonging to both genders without any blood disorder. All adults below the age of 18 years with blood disorder diseases were excluded. The age limit in group A was below 50 years and in group B was above 50 years. Monocyte count of all the patients was noted from the record in the laboratory of Rawal institute of health sciences and Pakistan institute of Medical sciences Islamabad. The age of the patients was confirmed from their CNIC. Results: Data was checked for normality by using Shapirowilk test of normality and comparison of monocyte count in between two groups was done by using Mann Whitney U test a significant difference was seen. Monocyte count in group A was 172/ µl and in group B was 122/ µl of blood. The mean age in group A was 32.3 years and in group B was 65.9 years. The p value of 0.00 shows a significant correlation of aging with monocytopenia. Conclusion: Corona virus infected patients with increased age (&gt; 50) years showed more reduction in monocyte count as compared to patients with lower age (&lt; 50) years.

Sunthi (Dry Zingiber Officinale) as a Prophylactic Agent Against SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and COVID-19 Symptomatology: Evidence From a Non-randomised Single-Arm Study

IntroductionAncient Indian medical system Ayurveda cites Sunthi (an ayurvedic preparation of dry Zingiber officinale) as ‘Vishvabhesaja’—medicine of highest relevance for the whole world—upholding its special status in managing pandemics. The present study assessed the prophylactic response of Sunthi in reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, moderating COVID-19 symptomatology, and improving individuals’ quality of life. The COVID-19-relevant phytochemicals in Z.officinale were analysed, and the prominent predictive factors for quality of life were identified. MethodsThis study used multicentre, non-randomised, open-label, single-arm, pre-post design. The sample (n = 824) comprised household members of hospitalised coronavirus-infected patients (n = 770) and the frontline health care workers (n = 54) operating in COVID-19 hospitals. Participants consumed Sunthi powder four times daily, twice via oral (2 g) and twice via nasal (0.5 g) routes, for 15 days. They were followed up after 15, 30, and 90 days. For phytochemical analysis, liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and for data analysis, McNemar's test, repeated measures t-test, and multiple linear regression were performed. ResultsZ.officinale comprises phytoconstituents with anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties, has no severe effects, alleviates coronavirus-compatible symptoms, and improves the quality of life. ConclusionsDry Z.officinale can be a safe, effective, readily deployable, and affordable treatment for preventing coronavirus infection and managing COVID-19 symptomatology. Incorporating it into the COVID-19 prevention and management protocol can be of relevance for public health systems globally. However, this is a preliminary observation that may be informative for future research. No causal inference pertaining to the observed association could be drawn, and this result shall be interpreted with caution.

Seasonal coronavirus infections trigger NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages but is therapeutically targetable

Seasonal coronaviruses widely circulate in the global population, and severe complications can occur in specific vulnerable populations. Little is known on their pathogenic mechanisms and no approved treatment is available. Here, we present anecdotal evidence that the level of IL-1β, a hallmark of inflammasome activation, appears elevated in a subset of seasonal coronavirus infected patients. We found that cultured human macrophages support the full life cycle of three cultivatable seasonal coronaviruses. Their infections effectively activate NLRP3 inflammasome activation through TLR4 ligation and NF-κB activation. This activation can be attenuated by specific pharmacological inhibitors and clinically used medications including dexamethasone and flufenamic acid. Interestingly, combination of antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs simultaneously inhibit seasonal coronavirus-triggered inflammatory response and viral replication. Collectively, these findings show that the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 axis drives seasonal coronavirus triggered-inflammatory response, which in turn represents a viable therapeutic target.

Opportunistic Fungal Invasion in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Critical Review in Diagnosis and Management.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the culprit behind the pandemic across the globe in recent decades. Variants of SARS-CoV especially coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related fungus might not be identified or might be misdiagnosed on a worldwide scale. Patients of COVID-19 acquired invasive mycoses, especially if they are very ill or immunosuppressed. Clinical intervention based on various standard guidelines would be necessary to guarantee that Aspergillus and Candida -infected COVID-19 patients are adequately treated. To facilitate clinical professionals, doctors, paramedics, and laboratory staff in the treatment of various variants of COVID-19 patients with concurrent aspergillosis, candidiasis, mucormycosis, or cryptococcosis, a tabulation format is drafted in this study. We believe it is prudent to take into account the general nature, and variety of the mycosis that is arriving, the strength and limits of the diagnostic tools, clinical conditions, and the need for standardized or customized therapy in various coronavirus-infected patients.

A Retrospective Study on Smell Dysfunction in COVID-19 Patients Presenting to a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Northern India

Introduction: The smell dysfunction in COVID-19 patients has remained an unexplained topic. The blood parameters’ variability in COVID-19 patients with anosmia has been studied in few literatures. The study is aimed to find the association of anosmia with the blood grouping and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in coronavirus-infected patients. Materials and Methods: Database from Medical Records Department of a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Northern India was searched from July 2020 to December 2020. Every fifth file was selected using the stratified random sampling. Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction files were included. Blood grouping and CRP levels were assessed and statistically correlated. Results: A total of 103 patients of coronavirus-associated infection with anosmia were included among which 52 (50.48%) patients were from moderate category of AIIMS-ICMR joint task Force’s clinical guidelines. A total of 44 (42.71%) patients had moderate levels of elevated CRP. The blood Group B-type was found most commonly in 35 (33.98%) patients. The correlation of severity of COVID-19 infection with CRP was found to be statistically significant (Chi-square test statistic was 31.203 and P = 0.00023) in patients presenting with smell dysfunction. Conclusion: Anosmia was found to a suggestive symptom for the early identification of coronavirus-infected cases. In this study, CRP levels showed statistically significant association with anosmia in COVID-19 patients. Predilection for specific blood groups serves as platform for further research.

Management of Somatization in COVID-19: A Narrative Review.

Somatization refers to the condition in which psychological distress is shown in the form of somatic symptoms such as persistent headache, nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, etc.Various predisposing factors, including familial such as high expressed emotion, poor parental care, genetic, biological, and demographic which includes age and gender, cognitive such as learning disabilities, psychiatric such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, social, etc., play an essential role in saturation of the disease. During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological distress increased in the patients infected with the coronavirus due to some the factors such as social distancing from loved ones, lack of physical exercise, loss of income, loneliness due to quarantine, etc. Therefore, management and treatment of the disorder became essential, especially in coronavirus-infected patients, as it may lead to an increase in complications of the disease. Many studies have been conducted to identify the proper way to manage the condition. Treatments include pharmacological therapy and psychosocial interventions. Pharmacological therapy includes using various antidepressants, hypnotics, and sedatives such as benzodiazepines. For the treatment, mirtazapine is a secure and reliable antidepressant. Another drug, trizolobenzodiazepine adinazolam, was also very useful in treating patients. In some randomized experiments, alprazolam significantly outperformed amitryptiline in reducing the symptoms. Psychosocial interventions include sessions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, relaxation training, meditation, and psychological interventions such as enhancing multidimensional social help, modifying cognitive assessment, directing positive coping, and inspiring positive emotions.

Lymphocytopenia delays recovery in COVID-19 infected patients.

Objective: To observe the effect of reduced lymphocyte count on the recovery of Covid 19 infected patients. Study Design: Observational study. Setting: Rawal Institute of Health Sciences Islamabad, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. Period: March 2021 till June 2021. Material &amp; Methods: Sample Size: One hundred adult humans suffering from COVID-19 infection. Hundred adult patients with positive PCR test for corona virus were selected. Adult patients belonging to both genders with reduced lymphocyte count and no immunological and blood disorder were included and those below the age of 18 years with any disorder related to immune system or blood were excluded. Adult patients were divided in two groups A and B with 50 patients in each group. Lymphocyte count of all the patients was noted from the record in the laboratory of Rawal institute of health sciences and Pakistan institute of Medical sciences Islamabad. Group A were those whose lymphocyte count was close to reference range and group B were those whose lymphocyte count was very low. Follow up of all the patients was done. Reduction and disappearance of symptoms like fever and cough were considered as recovery symptoms. Statistical Analysis: Data was entered using SPSS version 25. Data was checked for normality by using shapirowilk test. The comparison in the days of recovery with the lymphocyte count showed a significant difference of P value of 0.00. Results: Group A patients had mean lymphocyte count 0.87 x 109 / L and Group B had mean lymphocyte count of 0.45 x 109 / L. The average recovery time for corona virus infected patients with marked reduction in lymphocyte count is 19 days and those with mild reduction in lymphocyte count the average recovery time is 12 days. Conclusion: Patients suffering from COVID-19 infection with less lymphocytopenia showed early recovery and disappearance of symptoms as compared to those with more lymphocytopenia.

Changes in the Number of Newly Diagnosed Lung Cancer Patients Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVE:The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic has affected the entire health system and patients other than coronavirus-infected patients. Hospital admissions of cancer patients decreased during the closure periods due to the pandemic. This study was conducted to determine whether there was an effect on the hospital admissions of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients in Turkey during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.MATERIAL AND METHODS:In this retrospective study, newly diagnosed lung cancer patients were recorded from the Hospital Information Management System between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020, at our tertiary hospital. The number of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients diagnosed in 2020 was compared with each year from 2017 to 2019.Results:Between 2017 and 2020, 15 150 newly diagnosed lung cancer cases were analyzed. According to Global Cancer Observatory data, in 2018, 34 703 newly diagnosed lung cancer cases, and in 2020, 41 264 newly diagnosed lung cancer cases were observed in Turkey. Although a decrease was not observed in the number of patients according to Global Cancer Observatory data, both the total number of patients admitted to our hospital and the number of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients decreased in 2020. The number of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients by year was 4030 patients in 2017, 4004 patients in 2018, 4391 patients in 2019, and 2725 in 2020, respectively. In 2020, newly diagnosed lung cancer patients decreased by 38%, 32%, and 32% compared to 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. Also, a significant decrease was seen in the number of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients in the months with closure due to the pandemic compared to the months without closure.Conclusion:There was a significant decrease in hospital admissions of newly diagnosed lung cancer cases in the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic in our referral hospital. Precautions should be considered to diagnose and treat lung cancer patients in specialized centers during a pandemic due to epidemic diseases such as coronavirus disease-2019.

Prevalence and Factors Affecting Willingness to Accept or Refuse Vaccination against COVID-19 among Healthcare Professionals in Southern Tunisia

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread throughout the world causing serious morbidity and mortality. Health care professionals (HCP) are on the front line in the face of this pandemic and are identified as priorities for COVID-19 vaccination. This study aimed to estimate the acceptability rate of the COVID-19 vaccination among HCP and to identify their predisposing factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire including a randomized sample of HCP in Southern Tunisia, on March–April 2021. Results: Among 300 participants, the COVID-19 vaccine acceptability rate was 65.3%. Factors independently associated with vaccine acceptability were age groups <30 years [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=4.36; p = 0.002)], urbanity of residence (AOR = 3.44; p = 0.027), medical professional category (AOR = 2.69; p = 0.023) and caring for coronavirus infected patients (AOR = 2.32; p = 0.047). Belief that COVID-19 vaccination is important to work safely as a health care provider (AOR = 3.26; p = 0.013), should be available for all HCP (AOR = 17.98; p = 0.004) and has been quickly developed before it has been thoroughly vetted and tested for efficacy and safety (AOR = 5.88; p < 0.01) were independently associated with willingness to accept vaccine. Planning to get a COVID-19 vaccine for the next years and recommending it to the family were independent predictive factors of accepting COVID-19 vaccine ((AOR = 6.88; p < 0.001) and (AOR = 25.03; p < 0.001), respectively).Conclusion: The acceptance rate of vaccination against COVID-19 among Tunisian HCP is still low in South Tunisian hospitals. Socio-demographic, cultural and professional factors predisposing to the vaccination willingness were highlighted. Combating the vaccine hesitancy of HCP through enhancing sensibilization campaigns is essential to promote vaccination in general population.

Social,economic and demographic determinants of risk of death in patients infected with coronavirus: A case study of Ahvaz

Introduction &amp; Objectives: This article studies the determinants of death risk among coronavirus infected patients in Ahvaz. In this regard, we have studied, analyzed and explained the effect of social, economic and demographic variables including age, gender, marital status, income, occupation, education, place of residence, etc. on the risk of death among coronavirus infected patients. Methods: This study was a survey and used a researcher-made questionnaire to collect information. The statistical population is all coronavirus infected patients in the period of march 2020 to September 2021. We used logistic regression with odds ratio report to analyze the data and tested all hypotheses at 95% confidence level. Findings: The results show that the risk of death due to coronavirus infection is very unequal among socio-economic groups and in terms of various variables, so that the risk of death in terms of job variable is higher among business men, drivers, employees and farmers in compared to other occupational groups. People aged 61 to 75 are 68.3 times more likely to die than ones under 30. Married people are 2.49 times more likely to die than single ones.

Analysis to Calculate Mortality and Adverse Outcomes Among Health Workers and General Population with Covid-19

Objective: The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the mortality rates from coronavirus infection among healthcare workers against those in the general population. Study Design: Comparative/Retrospective study Place and Duration: Medical Unit Ward and Emergency Department, Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, July, 2021 to Dec, 2021. Methods: 190 coronavirus-infected patients of both sexes participated. 20-65-year-old patients were enrolled. All cases gave written consent for age, sex, BMI, socioeconomic status, and domicile. Patients were symptomatic and asymptomatic. Group A had 95 cases of general population and in group B 95 were health workers. In coronavirus ward patients were observed for recovery. Outcomes were ICU hospitalization, need of ventilation, and mortality rates were compared. We analyzed data with SPSS 20.0. Results: We found that majority of the patients among both groups were asymptomatic 55 (57.9%) in group A and 59 (62.1%) in group B. Most common comorbidities were HTN, DM and IHD. Use of preventive measures in group A 35 (36.8%) was lower as compared to group B 70 (73.75) with p value &lt;0.003. We found that number of ICU admission 17 (17.9%), ventilation requirement 20 (21.05%) and mortality 13 (13.9%) in group A was significantly higher with p value 0.005 as compared to group B 5 (5.3%), 6 (6.3%) and 3 (3.2%). Conclusion: In this study, we found that the incidence of mortality, admissions to the intensive care unit, and the use of invasive ventilation were all much greater in the general population than they were in the health care professional group. Keywords: Ventilation, General Population, COVID-19, Mortality, ICU, Health workers

Transfer Learning-Based Deep Learning Models for Screening Covid-19 Infection from Chest CT Images

As the global prevalence of Covid-19 rises, accurate diagnosis of Covid-19 patients is critical. The biggest issue in diagnosing people who test positive is the non-availability or scarcity of testing kits, as Covid-19 spreads rapidly in the community. To prevent Covid-19 from spreading among humans as an alternative quick diagnostic method, an automatic detection system is required. We propose in this study to employ Convolution Neural Networks to detect corona virus-infected patients using Computed Tomography (CT) images. In addition, we look into the transfer learning of deep convolutional neural networks like VGG16, inceptionV3, and Xception for detecting infection in CT scans.To find the best values for hyper-parameters, we use Bayesian optimization. The study comprises of comparing and analysing the employed pre-trained CNN models. According to the data, all trained models are more than 93 percent correct. Pretrained models such as VGG16, InceptionV3, and Xception have attained more than 97 percent precision. Furthermore, our method introduces novel methods for classifying CT scans in order to detect the Covid-19 infection.

Clinical Outcomes and Epidemiological Characteristics of Coronavirus-Infected Patients with Complete Immunization for Covid-19 Hospitalized In Intensive Care Unit

The outcome of COVID-19 patients once admitted to the Intensive Care Unit can be compared as to their immunization status. As a stronger immune response is very important for recovery in all medical situations. From a total number of 181 patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to the ICU that had been fully vaccinated with two doses and at least 21 days before admission, all clinical and risk factors parameters were calculated. As it turned out there was a significant fall in all complications and the mortality rate was 10% less than that expected by the SAPS3 (43%). The authors emphasize the recommendation for complete vaccination for COVID-19 having had a very significant fall in the mortality rate. Most COVID-19 vaccines are designed to elicit immune responses, ideally neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.