Volume 32 Number 1 (2023)

Clinico-epidemiological Characteristics of Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19-Positive Patients in Bangladesh

Hasan MJ1 , Chowdhury SM2 , Khan AS3 , Rahman M4 , Fardous J5 , Adit T6 , Rahman M7 , Hossain MT8 , Yeasmin S9 , Raheem E10 , Amin MR11

Mymensingh Med J 2023 Jan; 32 (1): 185-192

PMID: 36594319

Abstract

As of August 15, 2020, Bangladesh lost 3591 lives since the first Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case announced on March 8. The objective of the study was to report the clinical manifestation of both symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19-positive patients. An online-based cross-sectional survey was conducted for initial recruitment of participants with subsequent telephone interview by the three trained physicians in 237 adults with confirmed COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh. The study period was 27 April to 26th May 2020. Consent was ensured before commencing the interview. Collected data were entered in a pre-designed case record form and subsequently analyzed by SPSS 20.0. The mean±SD age at presentation was 41.59±13.73 years and most of the cases were male (73.0%). A total of 90.29% of patients reside in urban areas. Among the positive cases, 13.1% (n=31) were asymptomatic. Asymptomatic cases were significantly more common in households with 2 to 4 members (p=0.008). Both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients shared similar ages of presentation (p=0.23), gender differences (p=0.30) and co-morbidities (p=0.11). Only 5.3% of patients received ICU care during their treatment. The most frequent presentation was fever (88.3%), followed by cough (69.9%), chest pain (34.5%), body ache (31.1%), and sore throat (30.1%). Thirty-nine percent (n=92) of the patients had co-morbidities, with diabetes and hypertension being the most frequently observed. There has been an upsurge in COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh. Patients were mostly middle-aged and male. Typical presentations were fever and cough. Maintenance of social distancing and increased testing are required to meet the current public health challenge.

Keywords: Asymptomatic, Bangladesh, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Outbreak, Pandemic


  1. Executive Director

    Pi Research Consultancy Center, Dhaka, Bangladesh

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Volume 32, Number 1 (2023)
Page: 185-192