Patients from South Asian and black populations are at increased risk of hospital admission, intensive care admission, and death from COVID-19 infection, compared with white patients. However, little is known about the pattern of suspected COVID-19 presentations in primary care. This study found that patients of South Asian and black ethnicity are at increased risk of a clinical diagnosis of suspected COVID-19 in primary care. This risk remains even after accounting for other factors, such as multimorbidity, increasing obesity, and social deprivation, which are also strongly associated with increased risk of a suspected COVID-19 diagnosis. Primary care recording of suspected COVID-19 cases closely mirrors COVID-19 test positivity reported by the national testing scheme. Daily recording rates of suspected COVID-19 by GPs may provide an early warning system for any future upward trend in transmission rates. |