Around 80 percent of the Covid-19 patients who died had comorbidity, finds a government study.

Diabetes, lung diseases, and hypertension are the top three comorbidity factors for the death of Covid-19 patients, said the study of National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM).

Other major risk factors include smokeless tobacco consumption, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and malignant diseases.

NIPSOM, the apex public health institute of Bangladesh, also finds that 60.9 percent of the deceased were aged either 60 or above.

The study titled "Risk Factors Associated with Morbidity and Mortality: Outcomes of the Covid-19 Patients in Bangladesh" was aimed at identifying the risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality while treating Covid-19 patients and helping revise the guideline in line with the findings.

A total of 1,016 Covid-19 patients confirmed by RT-PCR tests at the central laboratory of NIPSOM were enrolled in the study.

The study, first of its kind in Bangladesh for Covid-19 patients, focused on the diagnosis after the 14th and 28th day.

According to the study, 78.3 percent Covid-19 patients having comorbidities died after 14 days of diagnosis.

Of the total patients diagnosed in the study, 2.3 percent died after 14 days of diagnosis while it slightly increased to 2.5 percent after 28 days of diagnosis.

Around 64.40 percent Covid-19 patients did not cure after 14 days of diagnosis. However, it come down to only six percent after 28 days of diagnosis.

Among the deceased, 40 percent had at least one comorbidity.

Male Covid-19 patients died around four times more than the female patients, said the study, supervised by Prof Baizid Khoorshid Riaz, director, NIPSOM.

The principal investigator of the study was Prof Md Ziaul Islam, head, department of community medicine, NIPSOM.

Contacted, Prof Baizid told The Daily Star that the findings echoed the global trend of mortality and morbidity of Covid-19 patients.

"This finding is very crucial as it will help revise the guideline of treating coronavirus patients," he added.

The study recommended that to reduce adverse morbidity and mortality outcomes of Covid-19 patients, national treatments protocol should be adjusted showing treatment emphasis for the first 14 days of the disease.

The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the study.

It also suggested that to reduce the mortality rate, clinical management must be prioritised for the elderly and comorbid patients.

To avoid unwanted mortality from the Covid-19, hospitals must have adequate facilities for management of comorbidities, it suggested.

It said to minimise the worse outcomes of Covid-19, males, married, elderly, service holders, and urban residents should be emphasised for preventive, promotive and curative measures.

The study is expected to be published in the "Epidemiology and Infection" journal of the Cambridge University soon, said Prof Baizid.