COVID-19 in a Designated Infectious Diseases HospitalOutside Hubei Province,China (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Background A new type of novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province. Previous investigations reported patients in Wuhan city often progressed into severe or critical and had a high mortality rate.The clinical characteristics of affected patients outside the epicenter of Hubei province are less well understood. Methods All confirmed COVID-19 case treated in the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen,from January 11, 2020 to February 6, 2020, were included in this study. We analyzed the epidemiological and clinical features of these cases to better inform patient management in normal hospital settings. Results Among the 298 confirmed cases, 233(81.5%) had been to Hubei while 42(14%) had not clear epidemiological history. Only 192(64%) cases presented with fever as initial symptom. The lymphocyte count decreased in 38% patients after admission. The number (percent) of cases classified as non-severe and severe was 240(80.6%) and 58(19.4%) respectively. Thirty-two patients (10.7%) needed ICU care. Compared to the non-severe cases, severe cases were associated with older age, underlying diseases, as well as higher levels of CRP, IL-6 and ESR. The median (IRQ) duration of positive viral test were 14(10-19). Slower clearance of virus was associated with higher risk of progression to severe clinical condition. As of February 14, 2020, 66(22.1%) patients were discharged and the overall mortality rate remains 0. Conclusions In a designated hospital outside the Hubei Province, COVID-19 patients were mainly characterized by mild symptoms and could be effectively manage by properly using the existing hospital system.