The Medical Journal of Basrah University

Background: Despite the passage of eight months since the start of COVID-19 pandemic, it still represents a major public health problem at global, regional and national levels.
Objective: To present comparative outcome indicators and time trends for the pandemic among countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and to discuss possible determinants behind such trends.
Methods: We used data on all newly reported cases of COVID-19 infection from the start of the pandemic in each EMR country till the middle of August, 2020. Two sources of data were used: the World Health Organization Website (Corona World meters) and a private website reporting cases world countries. Numbers were directly abstracted from these sources and Excel programme functions were used to make graphic presentations.
Results: As on August 5,2020 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region varied substantially in scale of the incidence rate per million population (from highest of 38939.1 in Qatar to lowest of 54.2 in Syria), the case fatality (closed case fatality ratio) ranged from Lowest of 0.2% in Qatar to the highest of 37.0% in Yemen. Cause-specific mortality rate ranged from 1.1 to 212.5 per million population in Jordan and Iran respectively. Testing policy was the main determinants of reported cases. None of the countries has reached a stage of clear exit based on scientific evidence despite the decline in the scale of cases in most countries.
Conclusion: Most of The countries are experiencing a pattern of accelerated pandemic and are heading towards declining trend.

Epidemiological Features of COVID-19 Epidemic in Basrah-Southern Iraq-First Report
Abstract
Background: COVID- 19 expanded from an outbreak in China to a devastating pandemic across the world. .
Objective: To describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Basrah Province-Southern Iraq
Methods: Data were obtained from the Department of Public Health in Basrah and the daily communique of the Ministry of Health. Data on population were obtained from the Ministry of Planning. For all provinces the total number of cases and their fate in terms of being under treatment, cured or died was obtained. For cases in Basrah, data on age, sex, residence, fate, travel history and presence of co-morbidity for 152 cases.
Results: In Basrah, The mean age was 46 years (Median 45 years) and the range was 13-98 years. No difference in the risk of COVID-19 was related to sex. Geographical variation was inconclusive The time trend of the epidemic is modest in both new daily cases and in cumulative numbers. At one point in time (April 10) the incidence rate was 56.28 per million , which was at intermediate level among other provinces.
The total cases used for Iraq was 1279. The highest numbers were reported in Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, Basrah and Sulaymaniyah.The lowest incidence rate was in Salah Al-Din (0.61 per million) and the highest was in Najaf (170.16 per million). The case fatality ratio for closed cases and for all cases was variable among provinces.
Conclusion: COVID-19 in Basrah and Iraq is modest until today the 10th of April 2020.

Abstract
Background: COVID-19 pandemic still expanding across the world and continuing at modest pattern In Basrah.
Objective: To further elaborate on COVID-19 epidemic in Basrah province and document the changing dynamic of the disease.
Methods: two sources were used for obtaining data in this study. The first is an excel sheet containing information on 736 cases covering age, gender, residence, travel history, comorbidity and fate, which is obtained from The Department of Public Health in Basrah. The second is the daily numbers of new cases (also 736) obtained from the daily communiqué of the Ministry of Health. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-version 20) and Excel programmes were used for statistical analysis.
Results: The mean age was 35.5±18.9 (for males=35.6+19.0 and for females=35.5±18.8), the median was 34 years (males =34 and females =33). The incidence rate was higher in older age groups, females and three districts (Basrah city, Al-Hartha and Al-Mdaina). The case fatality was within the international figures and significantly predicted by older age, travel history and presence of co-morbidity. The epidemic curve is moderate, fluctuant and does not help yet in predicting an exit from the epidemic.
Conclusion: The epidemic of COVID-19 in Basrah is moderate, cluster in transmission and changing in time but is unpredictable.
Key words: COVID-19, Case fatality ratio, incidence rate

Background: Job satisfaction is a reflection of interaction of the physicians and all the components of the surrounding environments. A high level of satisfaction is desirable and may contribute to better workers performance.Objectives: To explore the degree of satisfaction of family physicians in Basrah with their jobs. Methods: A cross-sectional study targeting all family physicians who were working in Basrah at the time of the study (2018) was carried out. A total of 67 out of 74 physicians were successfully interviewed according to a special questionnaire form that was prepared in the light of selected readings and guided by the researchers view on areas of interest. The data collection phase lasted for four months (April-August 2018). Results: A good proportion (43.3%) of family physicians in Basrah were posted in places other than family medicine practice. The majority were young, females, and reasonably lived close to their work sites. Family physicians were very satisfied with the supervisors (95.5%), colleagues (97.0%) and clients (86.6%). They were also satisfied with their competence in handling their daily tasks and fairly satisfied with their postgraduate training and in-services training. They were very unsatisfied with their income, their work conditions in terms of amenities and staffing, with respect to specialty under two thirds (61.2%) expressed their satisfaction with their status as family physicians but 38.8% were not satisfied and this was reflected on their desire to quit to other specialty (55.2%). A big problem is the perception that the specialty is not respected by the public (85.1%), not respected by other clinical specialties (95.5%), not supported by mass media (95.5%), and the specialty is not optimally utilized (79.1%). However, 67.2% reported that the specialty improved care delivery at primary health care centres. Conclusions: Mostly family physicians were happy with competence required to handle tasks. Except for the overall work environment, participants denied to have adequate amenities. Most positive points were related to humanities. Most of negative points were related to income, recognition and amenities. They expressed negative views on all aspects of salary valuation and most of them wanted to change specialty.