Comparative characterisation of COVID-19 patients with hypertension comorbidity in Malawi: a 1:2 matched retrospective case-control study

•A matched 1:2 retrospective case-control study design was used to characterize COVID-19 patients with hypertension comorbidity.•COVID-19 deaths varied with hypertensive condition, with more registered in hypertensive patients.•Signs and symptoms varied between hypertensive and non-hypertensive COVID-19 patients.•Risk of death due to COVID-19 among hypertensive patients increased with age.•Death among COVID-19 hypertensives was associated with underlying comorbidities.