Estimating the Burden of Severe Cases of COVID-19 in Iran (North Khorasan Province) since the Beginning of the Pandemic: 2019-2021

Abstract

Background: The death and fear of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major concern in all countries. Estimating the burden of the disease is one of the indicators that estimates the severity of the damage caused by the disease. This study was performed to estimate the burden of years of life lost due to COVID-19 infection and premature death in North Khorasan.Methods: In this study, all cases of definitive infection (PCR test positive) with COVID-19 from the beginning of the epidemic to April 2021 were included in the study. Disability-Adjusted Life -Years index (DALYs) was used to estimate the burden of the disease.Results: Since the beginning of the epidemic, 63697 definite cases of the disease have been identified (prevalence equal to 7%) and the total number of years of life lost due to disability and premature death was estimated at 24769 years. This number represents 28.7 years per 100,000 populations, which in women and men, this number was equal to 26.6 and 30.8, respectively.Conclusion: According to the results of the study, COVID-19 has caused significant loss of years of life, which due to age and concomitant diseases, deaths are more common in the elderly.