Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.

<h4>Background</h4>The first community transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant of concern (VOC) in Guangzhou, China occurred between May and June 2021. Herein, we describe the epidemiological characteristics of this outbreak and eval...

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Main Authors: Li Li, Zhi-Gang Han, Peng-Zhe Qin, Wen-Hui Liu, Zhou Yang, Zong-Qiu Chen, Ke Li, Chao-Jun Xie, Yu Ma, Hui Wang, Yong Huang, Shu-Jun Fan, Ze-Lin Yan, Chun-Quan Ou, Lei Luo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010048&type=printable
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author Li Li
Zhi-Gang Han
Peng-Zhe Qin
Wen-Hui Liu
Zhou Yang
Zong-Qiu Chen
Ke Li
Chao-Jun Xie
Yu Ma
Hui Wang
Yong Huang
Shu-Jun Fan
Ze-Lin Yan
Chun-Quan Ou
Lei Luo
author_facet Li Li
Zhi-Gang Han
Peng-Zhe Qin
Wen-Hui Liu
Zhou Yang
Zong-Qiu Chen
Ke Li
Chao-Jun Xie
Yu Ma
Hui Wang
Yong Huang
Shu-Jun Fan
Ze-Lin Yan
Chun-Quan Ou
Lei Luo
author_sort Li Li
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>The first community transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant of concern (VOC) in Guangzhou, China occurred between May and June 2021. Herein, we describe the epidemiological characteristics of this outbreak and evaluate the implemented containment measures against this outbreak.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention provided the data on SARS-CoV-2 infections reported between 21 May and 24 June 2021. We estimated the incubation period distribution by fitting a gamma distribution to the data, while the serial interval distribution was estimated by fitting a normal distribution. The instantaneous effective reproductive number (Rt) was estimated to reflect the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2. Clinical severity was compared for cases with different vaccination statuses using an ordinal regression model after controlling for age. Of the reported local cases, 7/153 (4.6%) were asymptomatic. The median incubation period was 6.02 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.42-6.71) days and the means of serial intervals decreased from 5.19 (95% CI: 4.29-6.11) to 3.78 (95% CI: 2.74-4.81) days. The incubation period increased with age (P<0.001). A hierarchical prevention and control strategy against COVID-19 was implemented in Guangzhou, with Rt decreasing from 6.83 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 3.98-10.44) for the 7-day time window ending on 27 May 2021 to below 1 for the time window ending on 8 June and thereafter. Individuals with partial or full vaccination schedules with BBIBP-CorV or CoronaVac accounted for 15.3% of the COVID-19 cases. Clinical symptoms were milder in partially or fully vaccinated cases than in unvaccinated cases (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26 [95% CI: 0.07-0.94]).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>The hierarchical prevention and control strategy against COVID-19 in Guangzhou was timely and effective. Authorised inactivated vaccines are likely to contribute to reducing the probability of developing severe disease. Our findings have important implications for the containment of COVID-19.
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publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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spelling doaj-art-cf12d16a03fd49cbb4aad554df58b4992025-08-20T03:15:48ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352022-01-01161e001004810.1371/journal.pntd.0010048Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.Li LiZhi-Gang HanPeng-Zhe QinWen-Hui LiuZhou YangZong-Qiu ChenKe LiChao-Jun XieYu MaHui WangYong HuangShu-Jun FanZe-Lin YanChun-Quan OuLei Luo<h4>Background</h4>The first community transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant of concern (VOC) in Guangzhou, China occurred between May and June 2021. Herein, we describe the epidemiological characteristics of this outbreak and evaluate the implemented containment measures against this outbreak.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention provided the data on SARS-CoV-2 infections reported between 21 May and 24 June 2021. We estimated the incubation period distribution by fitting a gamma distribution to the data, while the serial interval distribution was estimated by fitting a normal distribution. The instantaneous effective reproductive number (Rt) was estimated to reflect the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2. Clinical severity was compared for cases with different vaccination statuses using an ordinal regression model after controlling for age. Of the reported local cases, 7/153 (4.6%) were asymptomatic. The median incubation period was 6.02 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.42-6.71) days and the means of serial intervals decreased from 5.19 (95% CI: 4.29-6.11) to 3.78 (95% CI: 2.74-4.81) days. The incubation period increased with age (P<0.001). A hierarchical prevention and control strategy against COVID-19 was implemented in Guangzhou, with Rt decreasing from 6.83 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 3.98-10.44) for the 7-day time window ending on 27 May 2021 to below 1 for the time window ending on 8 June and thereafter. Individuals with partial or full vaccination schedules with BBIBP-CorV or CoronaVac accounted for 15.3% of the COVID-19 cases. Clinical symptoms were milder in partially or fully vaccinated cases than in unvaccinated cases (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26 [95% CI: 0.07-0.94]).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>The hierarchical prevention and control strategy against COVID-19 in Guangzhou was timely and effective. Authorised inactivated vaccines are likely to contribute to reducing the probability of developing severe disease. Our findings have important implications for the containment of COVID-19.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010048&type=printable
spellingShingle Li Li
Zhi-Gang Han
Peng-Zhe Qin
Wen-Hui Liu
Zhou Yang
Zong-Qiu Chen
Ke Li
Chao-Jun Xie
Yu Ma
Hui Wang
Yong Huang
Shu-Jun Fan
Ze-Lin Yan
Chun-Quan Ou
Lei Luo
Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.
title_full Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.
title_fullStr Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.
title_full_unstemmed Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.
title_short Transmission and containment of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of concern in Guangzhou, China: A population-based study.
title_sort transmission and containment of the sars cov 2 delta variant of concern in guangzhou china a population based study
url https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010048&type=printable
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