Predictors of COVID-19 positivity among patients presenting to screening clinic in a dedicated COVID-19 hospital, in chandigarh, India - A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical features of patients attending the screening clinic of a dedicated COVID-19 hospital (DCH), including COVID-19 RT-PCR test positivity rate, symptom predictors for COVID-19 positivity, the proportion of recovery, and the mortality among COVID-19 positive cases. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of the patients who reported in the screening clinic of a DCH. Data were retrieved from medical records. Step-wise binary logistic regression was applied to determine the symptom predictors for determining the likelihood of the suspects turning out to be COVID-19 positive. RESULTS: A total of 573 patients reported to the screening clinic were enrolled, and their median age was 36 ± 14 years. Of the total patients, 237 (41%) were females and 112 (20%) patients were COVID-19 suspects. Fifty (45%) suspects tested COVID-19 positive. The majority of the positives had complaints of cough, fever, and sore throat. Running nose (OR = 7.951) and history of contact with a COVID-19-positive case (OR = 169.9) were found to be statistically significant symptom predictors for COVID-19 positivity. All patients recovered with nil case fatality. CONCLUSION: Running nose and history of contact with COVID-positive patients were significant predictors for COVID-19 positivity. In this pandemic state, patients who present with any of the upper respiratory infection (URI) symptoms such as cough, sore throat, running nose, headache, and loss of taste/smell should be tested for COVID-19 for early identification and isolation to break the chain of transmission. The public should be encouraged to undergo COVID-19 testing if they develop any of the URI symptoms.