Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2) represents a major health problem worldwide. Thus, early detection and appropriate management of the virus will influence the outcome of the disease. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infection in Kassala, Eastern Sudan. Methods: A cross-sectional hospital-study was conducted among patients visiting Kassala teaching hospital with suspicion of COVID-19 infection. A structured questionnaire was used to gather clinical and socio-demo- graphic information from COVID-19 patients. Nasopharyngeal specimens and blood samples were collected and tested to confirm the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection using RT-PCR. Results: A total of 371 patients were enrolled in the study from September 2020 to January 2021, with mean age ± SD was 42.9 ± 19.9. The prevalence of COVID-19 infection was estimated at 61.7%. The majority were males 159 (69.4%), of university-level education, 96 (49.7%), and urban residents, 175 (9.7%). The most common symptoms were fever 215 (93.9%), cough 188 (82.1%), headache 179 (78.2%), and shortness of breath 154 (67.2%). Overall all mortality was reported as 16%. Older age group with the age ≥ 70, P < 0.001, Hypertension P = 0.020, diabetes mellitus P = 0.029 were significantly associated with high case fatality. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that older age, male gender, laboratory tests (leukocytosis, lymphopenia, low Hemoglobin and high CRP) and various comorbid conditions significantly increase the disease severity and mortality. Therefore, attention should be paid to preventive measures to reduce the considerable impacts of the disease.
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