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Early Determination of Case Fatality Rate of Covid-19 Pandemic During the Ongoing Yemeni Armed Conflict

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 August 2021

Abdulla Salem Bin Ghouth*
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, Hadhramout University College of Medicine, Mukalla, Yemen Ministry of Public Health and Population, Aden, Yemen
Ali Ahmed Al-Waleedi
Affiliation:
Ministry of Public Health and Population, Aden, Yemen Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Aden University, Aden, Yemen
Marhami Fahriani
Affiliation:
Medical Research Unit, School of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Firzan Nainu
Affiliation:
Faculty of Pharmacy, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
Harapan Harapan*
Affiliation:
Medical Research Unit, School of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia Tropical Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
*
Corresponding authors: Abdulla Salem Bin Ghouth, Email: abinghouth2007@yahoo.com; Harapan Harapan, Email: harapan@unsyiah.ac.id.
Corresponding authors: Abdulla Salem Bin Ghouth, Email: abinghouth2007@yahoo.com; Harapan Harapan, Email: harapan@unsyiah.ac.id.

Abstract

Objectives:

To determine the case-fatality rate (CFR) of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and its associated determinants in order to understand the true magnitude of the problem during the ongoing conflict in Yemen.

Methods:

The CFR among the confirmed Covid-19 cases in Yemen was calculated. The data was retrieved from national Covid-19 surveillance between April 10, when the first COVID-19 case reported, and May 31, 2020.

Results:

A total of 419 confirmed Covid-19 cases were reported. There were 14.1% and 5.7% of cases who required intensive care and mechanical ventilators, respectively. Out of the total cases, 95 deaths were reported, giving a CFR of 22.6% which is much higher compared to other countries. CFR was significantly higher among elderly people compared to young adults and varied between governorates. Mortality was associated with pre-existing hypertension (OR: 2.30; 95% CI: 1.58, 3.54) and diabetes (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.61).

Conclusions:

The elderly and those with comorbidities, in particular hypertension and diabetes, have higher risk for poor outcomes and therefore should receive more attention in the clinical setting. Preventive measures should also be prioritized to protect those groups in order to reduce the severe cases and deaths-associated COVID-19 in armed-conflict.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2021

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