Epidemiological, Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of SARS-COV-2 Infection Among the Patients During First and Second Wave of Pandemic at a Tertiary Care Center

Background: The WHO declared Covid 19 as a pandemic [1]. The case fatality rate of 2.9% was noted in our district [2]. Asymptomatic COVID-19 is one of the features of this pandemic [3]. High viral load of SARS-CoV-2 virus is a predictor of infectivity, disease severity and mortality in covid 19 patients [4,5]. Hence, we have decided to determine the socio demographic details, clinical profile, the viral load of covid 19 patients in first and second wave. Material and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted between the period of June 12, 2020 and August 31, 2021. The socio-demographic details, clinical presentations of all the covid 19 positive patients were studied. The super spreaders were defined as the patients with Ct value less than 17. Results: Out of 1, 50,363 specimens tested, 23571 (15.67%) were positive. A total of 171 (0.72%) patients were super spreaders. The age group most commonly affected in both the waves was 16- 60 years with a male preponderance. However, 88% of the tested individuals were asymptomatic. It was seen that RT-PCR positivity rate as 11.64% and 17.25% in first and second wave respectively. Lower number of super spreaders and less morbidity was observed despite high RT-PCR positivity in the second wave. Conclusion: We found a smaller number of super spreaders despite of the high RT-PCR positivity rate. The high number super spreaders, morbid patients and patients with extremes of age was observed in first wave than the second one.