A Master's thesis was discussed at the College of Pharmacy, University of Basrah, by the student Haneen Abdulameer Haji, entitled "The Impact of Serum Zinc Level on Severity Pattern of SARS-CoV-2 in Basrah Province, Iraq".

The thesis explored a comparative scientific study of zinc levels among COVID-19 patients compared to a healthy control group, analyzing the correlation between the deficiency of this vital element and disease severity and associated clinical complications.

The study concluded that zinc levels in COVID-19 patients were significantly lower than those in healthy individuals. Patients with zinc deficiency exhibited higher disease severity, required more days for clinical recovery, and showed a significantly higher rate of hospital admissions for critical care.