Clinical Characteristics, Seasonal Variation, Outcome and Disturbance of Taste and Smell in Cases of COVID-19

Objective: To assess the various clinical characteristics, seasonal variation, outcome and disturbance of taste(aguesia) and smell (anosmia) in cases of COVID-19.Study Design: Cross sectional study.Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of COVID-19 at Combined MilitaryHospital (CMH), Mardan from March 2020 to February 2021.Materials and Methods: Suspected case of corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) admitted and managed atCMH Mardan from March 2020 to February 2021 were included in the study and their nasopharyngeal swabswere sent for COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Only those clinically suspected cases withpositive PCR for COVID-19 were considered as cases of COVID-19. Demographic and clinical data includinggender, age, result of COVID-19 PCR test, symptoms, severity of disease, body system affected with COVID andoutcome, were recorded and entered in SPSS 21. Chi square was used to analyze qualitative variables and T testwas used for quantitative variables. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The reported clinically suspected cases of COVID-19 were 1552. Positive PCR test for COVID-19 were221 (14.2%) with mean age 37.53 +11.05. The highest number of COVID-19 cases were seen from May 2020 toJuly 2020. The positivity ratio of COVID-19 was highest during May 2020 (29.9%). Majority of COVID-19 caseswere asymptomatic (45.7%) and only ten cases died of COVID-19, i.e. mortality was 4.5%.Out of 221 COVID-19patients, 38.5% cases had olfactory and taste dysfunction.Conclusion: COVID-19 surged during the months of May to July 2020 followed by a downhill course. Majority ofCOVID-19 cases were asymptomatic. Respiratory system of body was most common system involved followedby gastrointestinal and combination of respiratory and gastrointestinal system. Olfactory and taste dysfunction(anosmia and aguesia) was seen commonly in COVID-19 patients.