Authors names, affiliations, address, emails and contributions:
  1. Asma Al Balushi (BSc, MD, OMSB, MRCP UK, DTMH, FRCPath, DipUKMP): Conceptualized, designed the study, wrote the research proposal, data collection for inpatients and field visits, communicated with patients, drafted and reviewed the manuscript, and overall workflow and integrity supervision. Address: Tropical and Infectious Diseases Unit, The Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot street, Liverpool L7 8XP, United Kingdom. Present address: Internal Medicine department, Suhar hospital, Suhar, Oman. P. O. Box 49, Muwailih 311. Email: thebrightsoul2@gmail.com
  2. Jalila Al shekaili (BSc, MD, FRCPA, Ph.D.): Reviewed study design, reviewed research proposal, supervised receiving blood samples at the immunology lab, supervised the flow cytometry work and IL-6 assessment run and analysis, and interpreted the data, wrote up the first few drafts and approved the final draft of the manuscript. Address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Seeb, Oman. P. O. Box 38, Alkhoudh 123. Email: jalila@squ.edu.om
  3. Mahmood Al Kindi (BSc, MD, FRCPA, Ph.D.): Reviewed study design, reviewed research proposal, supervised receiving blood samples at the immunology lab, supervised the flow cytometry work and IL-6 assessment run and analysis, analyzed the data, wrote up the first few drafts, and approved the final draft of the manuscript. Address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Seeb, Oman. P. O. Box 38, Alkhoudh 123. Email: dralkindi@squ.edu.om
  4. Zainab Al Ansari (MD): Field visits, data, and sample collection from outpatients and inpatients and data entry. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: zainabahameed99@gmail.com
  5. Murtadha Al-Khabori, (MD): Data analysis, writing up results, and manuscript review. Address: Clinical Haematology Department, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. P. O. Box 35, Alkhoudh 123. Email: khabori@squ.edu.om
  6. Faryal Khamis, (MD): Manuscript review and facilitating research work for inpatients. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: khami001@gmail.com
  7. Zaiyana Ambusaidi (MD): Data and sample collection from inpatients and data entry. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P. O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: z_ambusaidi@hotmail.com
  8. Afra Al Balushi (MD, OMSB Internal medicine): Data and sample collection from inpatients and data entry. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: afraa.albalushi@gmail.com
  9. Aisha Al Huraizi (MD, OMSB Internal medicine): Data and sample collection from inpatients and data entry. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: aisha.huraizi@gmail.com
  10. Sumaiya AL Sulaimi (MD, OMSB Internal medicine): Data and sample collection from inpatients and data entry. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: samasoomi@hotmail.com
  11. Fatma Al Fahdi (MD, OMSB Internal medicine): Data and sample collection from inpatients and data entry. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: alfahdi56370@yahoo.com
  12. Iman Al Balushi (MD): Data collection and entry for outpatients and second review of all data. Address: Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P. O. Box 35, Alkhoudh 123. Email: emanalbeloshi@gmail.com
  13. Nenad Pandak (MD, Ph.D.): Manuscript review and facilitating research work for inpatients. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: npandak@gmail.com
  14. Tom Fletcher (MD, Ph.D.): Overall supervision of the study and manuscript review. Address: Tropical and Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot St, Liverpool L7 8XP, United Kingdom. Email: tom.fletcher@lstmed.ac.uk
  15. Professor Eskild Petersen. Helped in conceptualizing research idea and manuscript review. Aarhus University Hospital Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 45, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark. Email: eskild.petersen@clin.au.dk and eskild.petersen@gmail.com
  16. Iman Nasr (MD): Proposal review, registered the study, communication with laboratories and companies, manuscript review, and overall workflow and integrity supervision. Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Email: drimannasr@gmail.com
Corresponding author: Iman Nasr (MD). Address: Internal Medicine department, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. P.O. Box 1331, Al Ghubra area 111. Mobile: (+968) 99832007Email: drimannasr@gmail.comAlternate corresponding author: Asma Al Balushi (BSc, MD, OMSB, MRCP UK, DTMH, FRCPath, DipUKMP). Address: Internal Medicine department, Suhar hospital, Suhar, Oman. P. O. Box 49, Muwailih 311. Mobile number: (+968) 92319222. Email: thebrightsoul2@gmail.com
Funding:The study was supported by the Center of Studies and Research in Oman (TRC/CRP/MOH/COVID-19/20/26).
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no financial interests or personal relationships that might influence the work presented in this paper.