Objective: To identify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19.

A retrospective, single-centre study including 99 confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was conducted in Wuhan, China with the aim to further clarify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) pneumonia.

Characteristics

• Older males with chronic comorbidities like cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and diabetes are more likely to be affected due to weaker immune functions.
• Infection of 2019-nCoV may lead to severe and even fatal respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
• Different therapies were given to patients, including:
  • • Antiviral therapy to 75 patients
    • Antibiotic therapy to 70 patients (25 patients were given single antibiotic and 45 patients were treated with combination therapy)
    • Antifungal therapy to 15 patients

Administration of Antibiotics

Antibiotics were given to prevent co-infection with bacteria and strengthen immune support treatment to help reduce complications and mortality in COVID-19 patients with low immune function. These include:

• Elderly patients
• Diabetics
• Patients with HIV infection

• Patients with long-term use of immunosuppressive agents
• Pregnant women

Antibiotics used in the treatment were:

• Cephalosporins
• Quinolones
• Carbapenems
• Tigecycline against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
• Linezolid

Reference: Chen N, et al. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet. 2020;395:507–513. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7