Excess cases of influenza and the coronavirus epidemic in Catalonia: a time-series analysis of primary-care electronic medical records covering over 6 million people.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

There is uncertainty about when the first cases of COVID-19 appeared in Spain. We aimed to determine whether influenza diagnoses masked early COVID-19 cases and estimate numbers of undetected COVID-19 cases.

Design

Time-series study of influenza and COVID-19 cases, 2010-2020.

Setting

Primary care, Catalonia, Spain.

Participants

People registered in primary-care practices, covering >6 million people and >85% of the population.

Main outcome measures

Weekly new cases of influenza and COVID-19 clinically diagnosed in primary care.

Analyses

Daily counts of both cases were computed using the total cases recorded over the previous 7 days to avoid weekly effects. Epidemic curves were characterised for the 2010-2011 to 2019-2020 influenza season

SUBMITTER: Coma Redon E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7431772 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature