Epidemiological Characteristics of the COVID-19 Outbreak in a Secondary Hospital in Spain
July 2020
in “
American Journal of Infection Control
”
TLDR Older males had higher death rates, and Latin Americans were more often in the ICU during the COVID-19 outbreak in a Spanish hospital.
The study at Infanta Sofía University Hospital in Madrid analyzed 1,828 confirmed COVID-19 cases from February 27 to June 29, 2020, revealing that 64.4% were hospitalized and 5.6% required ICU admission. The median age was 63.2 years, with a slight male predominance. Nursing home residents made up 13.1% of cases, and Latin Americans, who accounted for 19% of cases, had longer ICU stays. The overall case fatality rate was 14.6%, with higher mortality in males aged 60-79. The hospital increased its capacity significantly to manage the surge, and the study suggested that socioeconomic factors and genetic variations might influence outcomes. It emphasized the need for further research and contingency plans to prevent healthcare system collapse.
