Correlates of COVID-19 incidence: A descriptive study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The enigma COVID-19 pandemic already involved major parts of globe with toll of 2,074,529 victims and 139,378 deaths from 213 countries/territories as on April 14, 2020. It cripples nations by the loss of human resources, economic decline, hunger, unemployment insecurities giving way to mental morbidities, and still many others to be discovered. Till it completes its trajectory, a systematic investigation, a prerequisite of any epidemic control, is warranted. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey over 2 weeks (April 15, 2020–April 28, 2020) has been conducted at a teaching institution at Kolkata aiming to describe the magnitude, pattern, severity, and correlates of coronavirus pandemic 2020. Data pertaining to COVID-19 cases, deaths of affected countries, and their reported and or potential correlates were retrieved from various public domains, for example, https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports, worldpopulationreview.com, data.worldbank.org. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a maximum R2 of 32.3% (P = 0.013) with a significant model fit (P = 0.000) for COVID-19 incidence rate per million which is associated positively with the proportion of the urban population (b = 0.024) and the percentage of the population aged 65 years or higher (b = 0.112) and negatively with current universal Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination (b = −1.021) policy of countries. Conclusion: Against this viral catastrophe evidence-based classical public health measures are underway. Notwithstanding variations in testing and reporting policy, the findings of this research ignite further study.

Keywords

• bacille calmette-guérin
• covid-19 pandemic
• novel coronavirus
• public health
• urban population