BACKGROUND: There is a need for further data on the COVID-19 situation in Norway . Our aim was to describe the patients admitted to our local hospital with COVID-19 in the spring of 2020 . MATERIAL AND

METHOD: Data were retrieved retrospectively from our local quality register for COVID-19 and include all patients admitted to Østfold Hospital in the period 10 March 2020-31 May 2020 .

RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were admitted, of whom 47 (67 %) were men . The mean age was 59 years (range 18-95). The most common comorbid conditions were obesity (n = 22 , 31 %), chronic coronary artery disease (n = 21 , 30 %) and diabetes (n = 17 , 24 %). Thirteen patients (19 %) had no comorbidities . The most common symptoms were cough (n = 56 , 80 %), dyspnoea (n = 51 , 73 %) and fever (n = 48 , 69 %). The most frequent complications were cardiac manifestations (n = 18 , 26 %), acute respiratory distress syndrome (n = 14 , 20 %) and acute kidney injury (n = 9 , 13 %). Four (6 %) patients developed venous thromboembolism . Twenty patients (29 %) became critically ill. Thirteen (19 %) received treatment in the intensive care unit, and seven (10 %) died while in hospital . INTERPRETATION: Most of those admitted were middle-aged men . Many had no comorbidities . The most frequent non-respiratory complications were cardiac manifestations and kidney injury . A large proportion of patients became critically ill secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome.