The relationship between social distancing and interpersonal communication through pandemic COVID-19

Throughout the pandemic COVID - 19, interpersonal communication could not be practiced in our daily routine as the COVID-19 virus is easily spread between people within close contact. This research aims to identify the relationship between social distancing and interpersonal communication during pandemic COVID - 19. This study applies the Social Exchange Theory. Quantitative method is applied in this study and data were collected through the distribution of questionnaire to 131 respondents. In addition, the findings showed that there is no significant difference on social distancing between male and female. This study discovered that there is relationship between social distancing and interpersonal communication during pandemic COVID - 19. Hence, this study contributes to the field of communication through the establishment of a more comprehensive variable related to participation in benefit of social distancing and help to develop the Social Exchange Theory. © 2023 Author(s).

THE PHENOMENON OF HAJJ DEPARTURE CANCELLATION AMONG MANDAILING NATAL SOCIETY AMIDST COVID-19 PANDEMIC: BETWEEN ALLAH'S CALL AND HUMANITY'S CALL

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam which is obligatory to accomplish for those who are capable in terms of physic, economy, and health. The number of Indonesian hajj pilgrims as the world's most Muslim populous country elevates continuously year by year. The Government of Saudi Arabia cooperates with all Muslim populated countries to make regulations and understandings regarding the quota arrangement on the number of hajj and umrah pilgrims that are allowed to visit the two holy lands every year. In consequence, those regulations and understandings influence the waiting list for the hajj pilgrimage much longer, notably in these past two years amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. In response to that condition, the Indonesian government has decided to cancel all hajj departures for life safety. It is unavoidable that some hajj pilgrims may feel disadvantaged by governments' decision about the cancellation of hajj departure due to covid-19 pandemic situation. This study applies a qualitative descriptive method that aims to discover and provide constructive input regarding the regulations of the hajj pilgrimage during the pandemic and its position viewed through maqashid al-Syariah (the objective of Islamic law). The result of this study reveals that the Indonesian government has certainly considered all aspects to decide on the cancellation of the hajj departures during these two consecutive years. The main purpose of hajj departure cancellation by the Indonesian government is crucially beneficial because saving lives and maintains human safety and it is following one of five main objectives of Islamic sharia implementation (ad-dharuriyat al-Khamsa). Moreover, the Indonesian government and the community, in this context the hajj pilgrims, should build a positive relationship and work together to disseminate the policy regarding the hajj cancellation so that it removes misunderstanding and pro contra response in the community. © 2023 Otjivanda Presse.Essen. All rights reserved.

THE DUAL EFFECT OF FEAR OF PANDEMIC ON CONSUMERS (SATISFACTION AND REPURCHASE INTENTION) FOR ELECTRICAL HOME APPLIANCES DURING COVID-19

Electrical home appliances (EHA) are necessary for modern life. Some of these items are costly. Customer needs cognitive decision before purchasing. COVID-19 and its impact on humanity are disastrous and devastating (lockdown, social distance, joblessness, low/no income, death, and long health crisis). Like other businesses, EHA purchases and their usage have been affected. The study investigated customer satisfaction and the repurchase intention of EHA. The study was conducted in Malaysia and data were collected from 400 Malaysians using structured questions through social media and emails. Collected data were analysed with PLS-SEM (SmartPLSv.3). The study found that product quality, customer perceived value, and social media usage were significant with customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction and fear of the pandemic were also influential on repurchase intention. Besides, customer satisfaction is mediated fully with repurchase intention. Moreover, the contributory part is to investigate the moderating effect of fear of the pandemic on the relationship between satisfaction and repurchase intention was significant. Fear of the pandemic was a successful exogenous and interaction construct. The study used two prominent theories to support the framework and the relationships: Stimulus Organism Response theory and Perceived Risk Theory were successfully buttressed by current findings. These findings were very insightful for practitioners and knowledge-builders. © Penerbit UMT

In silico assessment of diterpenes as potential inhibitors of SARS-COV-2 main protease

Aim: We aimed to investigate the potential inhibitory effects of diterpenes on SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). Materials & methods: We performed a virtual screening of diterpenoids against Mpro using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) analysis. Results: Some tested compounds followed Lipinski's rule and showed drug-like properties. Some diterpenoids possessed remarkable binding affinities with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and drug-like pharmacokinetic properties. Three derivatives exhibited structural deviations lower than 1 angstrom. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that some of the diterpenes could be candidates as potential inhibitors for Mpro of SARS-CoV-2.

Predictive Performance of the National Early Warning Score 2 for Stratification of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients

Aim: To validate the ability of National Early Waring Score 2 (NEWS2) for predicting the severity of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). In addition, we also intend to examine the impact of pre-existing comorbidities to produce an advanced COVID-19 disease.Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort was performed on 108 patients having moderate-intensity COVID-19 infection during October 2020 and November 2021. NEWS2 parameters were recorded on admission to generate an output score, which then classified in accordance with the NEWS2 reference scale into low, medium, and high-risk categories. Each patient was followed till discharge or death for the clinical progression of COVID-19. The measures of validity and area under the curve (AUC) for NEWS2 threshold scores were calculated to predict the clinical deterioration of COVID-19.Results: Overall, 29.6% patients developed an advanced disease, out of which 21.8% patients died during treatment. NEWS2 score of 6 or more showed the highest sensitivity (78.1%), specificity (94.8%), and the AUC (0.838) for predicting an adverse outcome. Among comorbidities, the majority showed an increased risk of clinical deterioration.Conclusion: NEWS2 score of 6 or more at baseline showed good predictive ability to stratify patients with poor outcomes who may later require escalated care. However, we recommend more research to confirm our findings.

Consumer Behavior Prediction During Covid-19 Pandemic Conditions Using Sentiment Analytics

Covid-19 pandemic created a global shift in the way how consumers purchase. Restrictions to movements of individuals and commodities created a big challenge on day today life. Due to isolation, social media usage has increased substantially, and these platforms created significant impact carrying news and sentiments instantaneously. These sentiments impacted the purchase behavior of consumers and online retailers witnessed variations in their sales. Retailers used various customer behavior prediction models such as Recommendation systems to influence consumers and increasing their sales. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, these models may not perform the same way due to changes in consumer behavior. By integrating consumer sentiments from online social media platform as another feature in the prediction machine learning models such as recommendation systems, retailers can understand consumer behavior better and create Recommendations appropriately. This provides the consumers with appropriate choice of products in essential and non-essential categories based on pandemic condition restrictions. This also helps retailers to plan their operations and inventory appropriately. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Gravimetric assessment of postpartum blood loss: training and implementation in a low resource setting

What is already known about the topic? * The gravimetric method estimates the blood loss volume by weighing sanitary materials used during the labour process (i.e., gauze, sheets, swabs, pads, etc.) before and after being contaminated by the blood. * In clinical practice, the weight difference (in grams) is considered as 'blood loss volume' for ease of measurement and reported in millilitres without any formal conversion of units of weight to volume. * The benefits of the gravimetric method have been reported previously. What this paper adds * An online training programme is effective in increasing midwives' knowledge and awareness of the gravimetric method for postpartum blood loss assessment. * The midwives found the gravimetric method simple to adopt in clinical practice, which increased their confidence in detecting postpartum haemorrhage. * The midwives encountered some barriers while implementing the gravimetric method and provided strategies to mitigate the issues raised. BACKGROUND Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is defined as "a blood loss of 500 ml or more within 24 hours after birth1'?-3'" while severe PPH is "blood loss greater than or equal to 1000 ml within 24 hours.2'?-1'" Severe PPH is associated with one or more of the following conditions: blood transfusion, transcatheter arterial embolisation, arterial ligation, uterine surgery, hysterectomy, long-term psychological impact, or even maternal death.3"5 As a life-threatening condition,4 postpartum haemorrhage is estimated to account for 27% of maternal deaths worldwide6 and 30% of maternal deaths in Indonesia.7 In Indonesia, this percentage has remained stable from 2012 to 20ig.7,8 Postpartum haemorrhage diagnosis relies in part on the accuracy of blood loss assessment.9,10 A delay in PPH management may lead to poor outcomes which is often caused by a delayed diagnosis of PPH.11 Rosmaria et al. found that 94% of Indonesian midwives involved in that study did not routinely assess blood loss volume.10 Moreover, there is currently no recommended gold standard for assessing blood loss to help PPH diagnosis.1213 Blood loss can be measured using a number of methods, including colourimetric,14 photometric,15 semi-automatic,16,17 mathematical formulas,18 computer-based mathematical modelling,19 and radioisotope dilution methods.20 Nevertheless, most of them are complicated and impractical to apply in a real-life midwifery practice.18 The most common method used to estimate blood loss by health professionals worldwide is a visual method due to its ease of use, and can be easily and quickly done at various levels of health facilities.9,18,21 Despite the benefits of this method, it has been found to be inaccurate, in particular when there are higher levels of blood loss.10-15,18,22 Therefore, Bose et al. (2006) and Schorn (2010) suggested replacing visual checks with a more accurate measure for assessing blood loss volume.15,22 The gravimetric method (GM) has been recommended due to its accuracy and relative simplicity of use.23,24 This method is an assessment carried out by weighing all maternity pads before and after being exposed to blood, followed by calculating the weight difference.9,25,26 It is an evidence-based method of blood loss assessment, and evidence suggests that it may help in the diagnosis and management of PPH by providing a more accurate assessment of blood loss, therefore improving patient safety27 However, this method is not routinely used by Indonesian midwives.10 No previous research was identified that explored the evaluation of training midwives in the GM and exploring barriers and facilitators to the implementation in practice.

A leap towards enforcing medicines prescribing by generic names in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): pitfalls, limitations, and recommendations for local drug regulatory agencies.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in response to the public outcry on increasing medicines prices in the country issued notifications to direct healthcare professionals to prescribe medicines with their generic names. Like DRAP, many regulators in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are also inspiring from the west to legally enforce generic prescribing in a bid to reduce the out-of-pocket public expenditures. However, there are pitfalls in the LMICs drug regulatory framework, which if left unaddressed can severely jeopardise the foreseen benefits of medicines prescribing by generic names. This article critically appraises the impact of prescribing by generic names regulations in LMICs and highlights the key considerations that are vital to address before legally enforcing generic prescribing. The ethics, regulatory compliance, and good governance are the key to success; better generics for a better tomorrow.

An Empirical Study on Factors Impacting the Adoption of Digital Technologies in Supply Chain Management and What Blockchain Technology Could Do for the Manufacturing Sector of Bangladesh

This paper employed an integrated model for examining behavioral intention to adopt blockchain technology in the supply chain management of manufacturing industries in Bangladesh. The proposed conceptual model was empirically tested using data collected from 189 supply chain managers working in manufacturing organizations in Bangladesh. The findings suggest that perceived usefulness, trading partners' pressure, and competitive pressure are the most important determinant of behavioral intention. © 2023 Taylor & Francis.

Early coronavirus disease detection using internet of things smart system

The internet of things (IoT) is quickly evolving, allowing for the connecting of a wide range of smart devices in a variety of applications including industry, military, education, and health. Coronavirus has recently expanded fast across the world, and there are no particular therapies available at this moment. As a result, it is critical to avoid infection and watch signs like fever and shortness of breath. This research work proposes a smart and robust system that assists patients with influenza symptoms in determining whether or not they are infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In addition to the diagnostic capabilities of the system, the system aids these patients in obtaining medical care quickly by informing medical authorities via Blynk IoT. Moreover, the global positioning system (GPS) module is used to track patient mobility in order to locate contaminated regions and analyze suspected patient behaviors. Finally, this idea might be useful in medical institutions, quarantine units, airports, and other relevant fields.

Examining State Education Department As Learning Organisation in Next Normal of Educational Management: A Case Study of Perlis State Education Department, Malaysia

Organizations face significant challenges as a result of unforeseen disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It has made people pay attention to how organisations become more innovative, as adapting to these changes is no longer an option but a requirement. This study is aimed at determining the learning organization level among Perlis State Education Official (SEO) and a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to determine possible differences in the learning organisation practice of the SEO based on demographic factors. A survey was conducted, and 102 Perlis SEOs were selected using the survey method through questionnaire. The results of the descriptive analysis showed that the level of learning organisation was high (M = 4.107, SD = 0.612) and there was no significant difference in the learning organisation practices of SEOs based on position, age, experience, academic qualifications and frequency of participating in courses, workshops or training related to governance, leadership or educational management during the respondent's tenancy at Perlis state education department (SED). This study's findings are useful for Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia and SED because they may be used to improve key policies, reform learning organisations, and improve educational management performance. Future research should expand the study sample to explain how other organisations learn across areas or zones in Malaysia. It may also be used to compare data from comparable research in other areas or the public sector and give future insights for nations like Malaysia. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.

The Use of Smartphones for Online Learning Interactions by Elementary School Students

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using smartphones for online learning on teachers' and students' interactions in learning that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were 303 elementary school students, randomly selected by filling out questions through a Google form application. 20 items were provided, 10 items for the OLWS variable and 10 items for the TSI variable, which were adopted from several literature articles and adapted to the problem of this research. The data normality test was previously carried out and continued with testing the level of validity and reliability of the instrument, followed by evaluation of the structural model related to hypothesis testing using SPSS and SmartPL. The result determined by the PLS-SEM algorithm is 0.507, which is greater than the recommended value, indicating that the model has a reasonable level of justification for the variance in user behavior objectives. The only hypothesis (H1) is supported by the t-value of 15.399 (> 1.96) and a P-value of 0.000 (0.05), which indicates that OLWS has a positive and significant effect on TSI. Since the teacher's role in conveying knowledge to pupils demands specific, complex, and modern equipment that is widely available, easy to use, and follows technological changes, teachers and students can communicate appropriately, effectively, efficiently, and encourage quality results. © 2022,Pegem Egitim ve Ogretim Dergisi. All Rights Reserved.

The Pattern of Non-Covid-19 Paediatric Admissions in Malaysia Teaching Hospitals: Before and during the Covid-19 Pandemic with Movement Control Order

To study the characteristics of paediatric patients admitted to two non-COVID-19 teaching hospitals before and during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia. The retrospective study was performed in two phases (before MCO between February to March 2020, and during MCO lockdown between March to April 2020) in two teaching hospitals on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Hospitalized children <18 years were included and those coming for elective procedures or oncology treatment were excluded. The clinical data were retrieved from both hospitals' admission records. There was a total of 496 and 191 admissions to two teaching hospitals on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, respectively. A significant reduction in the number of non-COVID-19 hospital admissions was seen in both hospitals. For Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, the daily hospital admissions were reduced with a mean of 10 (before MCO) to 7 (during MCO) admissions/day (95% CI 1.54,7.54, p=0.001). In Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre, a reduction in hospital admission was seen from 5 (before MCO) to 3 (during MCO) admissions/day (95% CI 0.61, 3.15, p=0.005). Our study observed a general drop in non-COVID-related respiratory illnesses and infectious disease cases during the MCO period. There were significant differences in neurological (p=0.029) and accident (p = 0.001) cases admissions observed between the two periods. Copyright © 2022, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the Covid-19 Infection Severity in Known Diabetic Patients vs. Known Hypertensive Patients Admitted in A Tertiary Care Hospital in Peshawar

Objectives: To compare the severity of COVID-19 infection among known diabetic and known hypertensive patients who were admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. Methodology: A cross-sectional clinical study was conducted for comparison in diabetic vs hypertensive patients in the department of medicine of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar during the period from April-June 2021. All the patients were admitted in COVID ward and COVID ICU, showed their full consent and active participation in this study. Along with patient's ECG and Echo report, a questionnaire based on Canadian categorization employed for angina grading and NYHA categorization to classify shortness of breath was used. Result(s): The mean age group taken for the sample was (n=140) with maximum age of 84 years. Majority were 102(72.9%) males and females were 38(27.1%). According to laboratory tests performed on patients of COVID-19 about 48(34.4%) of patients showed positive diabetes mellitus findings. Also, patients with positive hypertension found were 67(47.9%). The average stays of patients, at the hospital, was 15-40 days. About 58.3% of mortality was noted in patients with diabetes mellitus, a bulk of patients expired were from ICU-COVID-UNIT and 55.2% was the mortality rate in patients with positive hypertension according to our clinical findings and assessment. About 7.9% of COVID inpatients had cardiac infraction with severe condition and such patients who faced congestive heart failure expired. Almost 56(40%) of the patients were found with severe condition and 63(45%) were diagnosed with moderate condition during their stay at hospital. Conclusion(s): Regardless of age, gender and disease the death rate evaluated was 50%. Moreover, in diabetics and hypertensive patients there should be raised awareness for preventing the severity of disease. Copyright © 2022 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

The Integration of Transportation Modes for Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park

Introduction: The spread of the COVID-19 virus requires unprecedented steps from the government such as the restriction of travelers and activities and enforcement of social distancing to reduce interaction between individuals. This led to a drastic decrease in tourist visits to the TN-BTS between January and December 2020 with the area reported having been closed between April-July. Meanwhile, there was an inadequate transportation system at a tourist destination area before the pandemic and that made the movement more difficult during the pandemic. Therefore, this research is focused on describing transportation modes integration in the East Java-Indonesia TN-BTS area during this period. Methods: The intermodal integration was represented through the community's preference which was based on certain elements such as the need for connecting mode, main mode, multimodal network, transitional facilities, switching facilities with different networks, schedules integration, tariffs, routes, and times. Results and Discussion: The survey conducted, however, showed these indicators are below expectation as observed with the community satisfaction with transportation integration in the TN-BTS area measured to be very low, below 60%, using the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) tool. Moreover, the expectations on the variables for intermodal integration were also measured using Important Performance Analysis (IPA). Conclusion: The findings showed the policymakers and planners need to take steps to encourage the realization of transportation integration in the TN-BTS area to develop tourism in the area. © 2022 Priyambodo et al.

Prevalence of OCD symptoms in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross- sectional study (preprint)

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterised by repetitive, undesirable thoughts or acts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health authorities worldwide urged people to take proper health measures. It is expected that such sudden change would cause excessive hygiene habits in people predisposed to OCD. Methods:This was a quantitative cross-sectional study that used an online survey platform to collect responses from UAE residents. The self-administered questionnaire collected a total of 343 responses from participants fitting the inclusion criteria. Their scores were evaluated based on the Y-BOCS criteria scale. People who have been previously diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder were excluded from this study. Results:The study included 99 males, and 244 females. A significant correlation was found between the Emirate of residence and the severity of OCD-like-symptoms (P= 0.042). The results showed that the emirate with most frequent OCD symptoms is Dubai, with 54.5% displaying mild, moderate, and severe/ extreme symptoms. Female to male distribution showed higher trend of females displaying OCD symptoms although this was not statistically significant. Level of education, occupation and age had no statistically significant role in the exhibition of the symptoms. Conclusion: The symptoms of potential clinical significance of OCD are high, especially in females compared to the global prevalence studies prior to COVID-19, although a within-subject comparison is not possible. The results need to be interpreted with caution given that the study sample may not represent the population of the UAE, especially given the online questionnaire used limiting access to certain resident groups in the country. Further research is warranted to investigate the long-term effect of COVID-19 on OCD-like and other neuropsychiatric symptoms and elucidate possible mechanisms.

Minimal Intervention Dentistry (MID) mainstream or unconventional option? Study exploring the impact of COVID-19 on paediatric dentists' views and practices of MID for managing carious primary teeth in children across the United Kingdom and European Union.

PURPOSE: To explore the techniques used to manage carious primary teeth during the COVID-19 pandemic by paediatric dentists and dentists with a special interest in paediatric dentistry (DwSI) who are members of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) and the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD), and their views on the use of minimal intervention dentistry (MID) in children prior to, during and post the COVID era. METHODS: A total of 212 paediatric dentists and DwSI completed an online questionnaire. Six MID techniques were explored: fissure sealants, resin infiltration, Hall Technique (HT), 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF), atraumatic restorative treatment (ART), stepwise removal and selective caries removal. RESULTS: The majority were specialists (26%) followed by clinical academics (23.1%) working mainly in university teaching hospitals (46.2%). Routine dental treatment for children with carious primary teeth was provided by the majority (92.5%) during the pandemic. HT (96%) and 38% SDF (65.7%) were the most commonly used techniques among the BSPD members whereas conventional restoration of non-selective caries removal and pulp therapy remained the most widely used technique among the EAPD members (66.2%). Most of the MID techniques were used as a treatment option (48.1%) rather than a choice (43.4%), with most of these choices having been affected by the patient's behaviour (82.5%). More than one thirds (39.2%) of the participants were reluctant to adopt MID after the pandemic. Several barriers such as lack of teaching and confidence as well as perceived lack of evidence were identified. CONCLUSION: A range of MID techniques is practiced broadly by a sample of paediatric dentists and DwSI across the United Kingdom (U.K) and European Union (E.U). The majority of clinicians are willing to continue using these techniques going forward after COVID restrictions are lifted. The pandemic served as an opportunity for many dentists to become familiar with various MID practices, such as SDF, which has been already established some time ago.

COVID-19 mortality rate during period of delta and omicron predominance in Malaysia: A descriptive study

Introduction: COVID-19 was the most feared infectious disease in the last few years which caused a high number of mortalities. Hospital Sungai Buloh was the main COVID-19 referral centre since the pandemic started. A large database of COVID-19 patients was available for this study and used to describe the rate of mortality among patients who were 40 years and above;who were admitted to Hospital Sungai Buloh during periods of Delta and Omicron predominance. Material(s) and Method(s): Medical records of COVID-19 patients who were admitted in Hospital Sungai Buloh during the period of Delta and Omicron predominance were reviewed retrospectively and analyzed. Result(s): Patient mortality during the period of Delta predominance from May-July 2021 (755 patients) was higher com[pared to the period of Omicron predominance from January-April 2022 (180 cases). Majority of the deceased patients were male (59.1%). Conclusion(s): This descriptive study serves as a baseline research for more studies in future using the same dataset. More data cleaning is required to produce more results.

COVID-19 category during period of delta and omicron predominance in Malaysia: A descriptive study

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged that have been found to differ in transmissibility and severity. Assessments of the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 delta and omicron variant are vital to evaluate the public health influence related to its rapid global dissemination. Material(s) and Method(s): Medical records of COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized in Hospital Sungai Buloh during the period of Delta and Omicron predominance were reviewed retrospectively and analyzed. Result(s): Delta wave was studied between May 2021 and July 2021, among the 5815 individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the highest number of cases were seen in May which was 2410 (41.4%) cases followed by 1762 (30.3%) in June and 1643 (28.2%) cases in July. Individuals were vaccinated, and vaccination was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization compared with cases with no doses or only one dose of vaccine. Compared with delta infection, omicron infection was lesser. The Omicron wave was studied between January 2022 and March 2022. Among the 2820 individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the highest number of cases were seen in March which was 1173 (41.5%), followed by 985 (34.9%) cases in February and 662 (23.4%) cases in January. The booster vaccine was started to be administered during this period and reduced equally the risk of symptomatic and asymptomatic infection. Conclusion(s): This descriptive study aids as a baseline study for more studies in the future using the same dataset. Laborious data cleaning is currently in the process to produce more forceful and steadfast results.

COVID-19 hospitalisation during period of delta and omicron predominance in Malaysia: A descriptive study

Introduction: Hospital Sungai Buloh is the main COVID-19 referral centre since the pandemic started. Having a large database of COVID-19 patients, this study describes the demographic characteristics of patients who were admitted to Hospital Sungai Buloh during periods of Delta and Omicron predominance. Material(s) and Method(s): Medical records of COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized in Hospital Sungai Buloh during the period of Delta and Omicron predominance were reviewed retrospectively and analyzed. Result(s): Patient admissions during the period of Delta predominance from May-July 2021 (5815 patients) are higher than during the period of Omicron predominance from January-April 2022 (3144 subjects). Among 8959 COVID-19 patients, 55.6% of them were in the age group 60-79 years old (4977 patients). Majority were male (50.7%), Malaysian (98.5%) and diagnosed as Category 4 COVID-19 upon admission (48.6%). A total of 935 (10.4%) patients died during hospitalisation. Conclusion(s): This descriptive study serves as a baseline research for more studies in future using the same dataset. Rigorous data cleaning is currently being performed to produce more robust and reliable results.