Table 2.
Clinical characteristics of COVID-19, SARS and MERS
| COVID-19 [[1], [2], [3]] | SARS [43,[46], [47], [48]] | MERS [36,49,50] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of emergence in human population | |||
| 2019 | 2002 | 2012 | |
| Absolute number of cases | |||
| 80 239 | 8096 | 2260 | |
| Demographic and general characteristics, % of cases | |||
| Male | 40–60 | 38–42 | 59.5–64 |
| Female | 40–55 | 64–68 | 35–40 |
| Cardiovascular disease | 10–46 | 8 | 9.1 |
| Chronic lung disease | 1–2 | 1–2 | 10.2 |
| Diabetes | 10 | 16 | 18.8 |
| Malignancy | 2–4 | 6 | 15.5 |
| Signs and symptoms, % of cases | |||
| Fever | 81–91 | 99–100 | 81.7–98 |
| Cough | 48–68 | 57–75 | 56.9–83 |
| Dyspnoea | 19–31 | 40–42 | 22–72 |
| Sore throat | 29 | 13–25 | 9.1–14 |
| Dizziness and confusion | 22 | 4–43 | 5.4 |
| Diarrhoea | 16 | 23–70 | 19.4–26 |
| Nausea and vomiting | 6 | 20–35 | 14–21 |
| Laboratory findings on admission, % of cases | |||
| Leukopenia | 35 | 33.9 | 14 |
| Lymphopenia | 35–72 | 54–70 | 32 |
| Thrombocytopenia | 12 | 44.8 | 36 |
| Elevated aminotransferases | 28–35 | 23 | 11–40 |
| Radiological chest findings on admission, % of cases | |||
| Unilateral infiltrate | 10 | 46–54 | 14.3–62.6 |
| Bilateral infiltrate | 84–90 | 29–45 | 37.4–75 |
| No findings | 14 | 13–25 | 4.3–30 |
| Complications, % of cases | |||
| Intensive care unit admission | 24 | 23–34 | 53–89 |
| Acute respiratory distress syndrome | 18–30 | 20 | 20–30 |
| Acute kidney injury | 3 | 6.7 | 41–50 |
| Deaths in hospitalized patients | 10–11 | 3.6–15.7 | 30–40 |