Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 mortality among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: A nationwide study

• Published in: Journal of infection and public health Vol. 15; no. 9; pp. 1020 - 1024
• Main Authors: Aljohar, Bashaier A., Kilani, Mohammed A., Bujayr, Anfal A.Al, Humayun, Tabish, Alsaffar, Manar J., Alanazi, Khalid H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2022; The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences; Elsevier
• Subjects: COVID-19; Deaths; Frontline; Healthcare worker; Mortality; Occupational risk; Original; Pandemic; COVID-19; Healthcare worker; Occupational risk; Mortality; Frontline; Deaths; Pandemic
• ISSN: 1876-0341; 1876-035X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2022.08.005

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been highly affected by COVID-19 due to their fundamental duties in diagnosing, caring, and treating the rapidly increasing number of infected patients. Thus, are facing the occupational risk of COVID-19 infection and mortality. To investigate the COVID-19 disease clinical characteristic and associated factors among HCWs in Saudi Arabia. This was a nationwide, retrospective analytical study conducted from 5th of March 2020–21 st of August 2021. All deceased HCWs who were diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in this study. As of August 21, 2021, a total of 305 deaths were recorded due to COVID-19 infection among HCWs in all Saudi healthcare facilities. The case fatality rate was 0.35%. Deaths were highest among physicians (40.0%). Most of deceased HCWs acquired the infection from the community (80%). 71% of deceased HCWs had at least one chronic medical condition. Most of them were admitted to ICU before they passed away (83.6%). Three significant variables predicting ICU admission were presence of one or more comorbidities, hypertension, and chronic respiratory diseases HCWs are at higher risk for exposure to COVID‐19 due to their occupational risk. Our study encourages future research to provide more comprehensive information regarding COVID-19 morbidity and mortality among HCWs.