Emerging infectious diseases
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Four persons with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection had traveled on the same flight from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to Hong Kong, China. Their virus genetic sequences are identical, unique, and belong to a clade not previously identified in Hong Kong, which strongly suggests that the virus can be transmitted during air travel.
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Nov 2020
Epidemiology of COVID-19 Outbreak on Cruise Ship Quarantined at Yokohama, Japan, February 2020.
To improve understanding of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), we assessed the epidemiology of an outbreak on a cruise ship, February 5-24, 2020. The study population included persons on board on February 3 (2,666 passengers, 1,045 crew). Passengers had a mean age of 66.1 years and were 55% female; crew had a mean age of 36.6 years and were 81% male. ⋯ Crew cases peaked on February 11 and 13. The median serial interval between cases in the same cabin was 2 days. This study shows that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is infectious in closed settings, that subclinical infection is common, and that close contact is key for transmission.
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Nov 2020
Case-Control Study of Use of Personal Protective Measures and Risk for SARS-CoV 2 Infection, Thailand.
We evaluated effectiveness of personal protective measures against severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Our case-control study included 211 cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 839 controls in Thailand. Cases were defined as asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patients who later tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; controls were asymptomatic contacts who never tested positive. ⋯ We found the type of mask worn was not independently associated with infection and that contacts who always wore masks were more likely to practice social distancing. Maintaining >1 m distance from a person with COVID-19, having close contact for <15 minutes, and frequent handwashing were independently associated with lower risk for infection. Our findings support consistent wearing of masks, handwashing, and social distancing to protect against COVID-19.
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Nov 2020
SARS-CoV-2 Virus Culture and Subgenomic RNA for Respiratory Specimens from Patients with Mild Coronavirus Disease.
We investigated 68 respiratory specimens from 35 coronavirus disease patients in Hong Kong, of whom 32 had mild disease. We found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and subgenomic RNA were rarely detectable beyond 8 days after onset of illness. However, virus RNA was detectable for many weeks by reverse transcription PCR.
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Nov 2020
Case ReportsDetection of SARS-CoV-2 in Hemodialysis Effluent of Patient with COVID-19 Pneumonia, Japan.
We report detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in hemodialysis effluent from a patient in Japan with coronavirus disease and prolonged inflammation. Healthcare workers should observe strict standard and contact precautions and use appropriate personal protective equipment when handling hemodialysis circuitry from patients with diagnosed coronavirus disease.