- Author:
Lim Kuang Kuay
1
;
Ainul Nadziha Mohd Hanafiah
2
;
Lee Soo Cheng
3
;
Chan Ying Ying
1
;
Mohd Shaiful Azlan Kassim
1
;
Chong Zhuo Lin
1
;
Roslinda Abu Sapian
4
;
Nurul Syarbani Eliana Musa
5
;
Ridwan Sanaudi
6
;
Kassim, 1 Chong Zhuo Lin, 1 Roslinda Abu Sapian, 4 Nurul Syarbani Eliana Musa, 5 Ridwan Sanaudi6 and Mohamed Paid Yusof
3
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: COVID-19; Asymptomatic; Pandemic; Malaysia.
- From:International Journal of Public Health Research 2021;11(2):1418-1424
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Inntroduction:The rapid spread of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide has led the World Health Organization to declare COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. As the local studies on factors leading to the absence or presence of clinical illness among the COVID-19 cases are sparse,
the study aims to determine the factors associated with asymptomatic COVID19 patients in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia
Methods:Data on COVID-19 patients were extracted from the database of confirmed cases in Petaling District Health Office, Selangor, Malaysia from 3rd February 2020 to 30th April 2020. An asymptomatic laboratory-confirmed case is a person infected with COVID-19 who does not develop any symptoms. The study included socio-demographic variables, the detailed information on clinical manifestations and co-morbidity of the patients. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the factors associated with asymptomatic patients.
Results:The overall COVID-19 patients in Petaling District were 434. Approximately 70% (n= 292) of the patients were symptomatic while 32.7% (n= 142) were asymptomatic. Multivple logistic regression analyses revealed that factors significantly associated with asymptomatic patients were age below 40 years old (aOR: 1.79, 95% CI 1.11, 2.86), non-Malaysians (aOR: 3.22, 95% CI 1.44, 7.19) and local cases (aOR: 2.51, 95% CI 1.42, 4.42). Gender, ethnicity, comorbidity and township were not significantly associated with asymptomatic patients.
Conlcusion:Approximately one-third of COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic and the risk factors identified were younger age, non-Malaysians and local cases. Rigorous epidemiological investigation is helpful in identifying COVID-19 cases among these group of people who are asymptomatic. - Full text:202407010941577051121.2021my0262.pdf