Publication date: Oct 09, 2024
COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are endemic causes of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to compare the epidemiology of severe illness and risk of death among patients following emergency department (ED) presentation with either infection. De-identified, population-based, emergency department records in New South Wales, Australia, were probabilistically linked to population-level health outcome databases for the period 1 January 2015 to 28 February 2023. Included were patients allocated an ED diagnosis consistent with an acute respiratory infection. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of infecting virus with risk of a severe outcome (intensive care unit admission or death). Influenza infection was notified in 2335 and COVID-19 in 5053 patients with a severe outcome. The age distribution was similar for both viruses, except in 90%. Despite that, death was more frequent for COVID-19 than influenza.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Australia | Covid-19 |
| Epidemiological | Death |
| February | Epidemiology |
| Influenza | Intensive care admission |
| Wales | SARS-CoV-2 |
| Seasonal influenza | |
| Severe illness |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | emergency |
| disease | MESH | influenza |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | death |
| disease | MESH | causes |
| disease | MESH | morbidity |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| pathway | REACTOME | Influenza Infection |