scholarly journals Outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in Norway, November to December 2021

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (50) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin T. Brandal ◽  
Emily MacDonald ◽  
Lamprini Veneti ◽  
Tine Ravlo ◽  
Heidi Lange ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

In late November 2021, an outbreak of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 following a Christmas party with 117 attendees was detected in Oslo, Norway. We observed an attack rate of 74% and most cases developed symptoms. As at 13 December, none have been hospitalised. Most participants were 30–50 years old. Ninety-six percent of them were fully vaccinated. These findings corroborate reports that the Omicron variant may be more transmissible, and that vaccination may be less effective in preventing infection compared with Delta.

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-136
Author(s):  
Nasir Ahmad

Background: On May 4th, 2016, at 12:30 district surveillance officer of Magelang Health Department received reports from Public Health Center of Bandongan about 21 students of SDN 1 Trasan who suffered from the same food-poisoning symptoms. Objective: Investigation was carried out to identify the source, how it spread and how to control it. Methods: This study used descriptive analytic and mapping the cases distribution location. The case was people experiencing symptoms of dizziness or abdominal pain or nausea or vomiting. Data analysis was done by using bivariate analysis. Data collection were done through interviews, observations and laboratory tests on the food samples. Results: The case was 50 students (from 1-6 grade students). The perceived symptoms were dizziness (77%), nausea (42%), abdominal pain (40%) and vomiting (8%). Attack rate found ranged from 14.3% to 60% with the highest Attack rate found on class three (60%). The incubation period of 15-240 minutes (mean 72.3 minutes). Calamari like positive Bacillus cereus and Rhodamine-B 10 mg/kg. Conclusion: The outbreak of food poisoning because calamari like contaminated Bacillus cereus. We suggested the school committee to provide the socialization of harmful food for the students. The teachers should restrict the permission for the food vendor to sell at school.   Keywords: Bacillus cereus, , Food Poisoning, Outbreak, Rhodamine B, School Food


BMC Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippo Trentini ◽  
Giorgio Guzzetta ◽  
Margherita Galli ◽  
Agnese Zardini ◽  
Fabio Manenti ◽  
...  

Abstract Background COVID-19 spread may have a dramatic impact in countries with vulnerable economies and limited availability of, and access to, healthcare resources and infrastructures. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, a low prevalence and mortality have been observed so far. Methods We collected data on individuals’ social contacts in the South West Shewa Zone (SWSZ) of Ethiopia across geographical contexts characterized by heterogeneous population density, work and travel opportunities, and access to primary care. We assessed how socio-demographic factors and observed mixing patterns can influence the COVID-19 disease burden, by simulating SARS-CoV-2 transmission in remote settlements, rural villages, and urban neighborhoods, under school closure mandate. Results From national surveillance data, we estimated a net reproduction number of 1.62 (95% CI 1.55–1.70). We found that, at the end of an epidemic mitigated by school closure alone, 10–15% of the population residing in the SWSZ would have been symptomatic and 0.3–0.4% of the population would require mechanical ventilation and/or possibly result in a fatal outcome. Higher infection attack rates are expected in more urbanized areas, but the highest incidence of critical disease is expected in remote subsistence farming settlements. School closure contributed to reduce the reproduction number by 49% and the attack rate of infections by 28–34%. Conclusions Our results suggest that the relatively low burden of COVID-19 in Ethiopia observed so far may depend on social mixing patterns, underlying demography, and the enacted school closures. Our findings highlight that socio-demographic factors can also determine marked heterogeneities across different geographical contexts within the same region, and they contribute to understand why sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a relatively lower attack rate of severe cases compared to high-income countries.


Author(s):  
Olivier Nsekuye ◽  
Edson Rwagasore ◽  
Marie Aime Muhimpundu ◽  
Ziad El-Khatib ◽  
Daniel Ntabanganyimana ◽  
...  

We reported the findings of the first Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) four clusters identified in Rwanda. Case-investigations included contact elicitation, testing, and isolation/quarantine of confirmed cases. Socio-demographic and clinical data on cases and contacts were collected. A confirmed case was a person with laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PCR) while a contact was any person who had contact with a SARS-CoV-2 confirmed case within 72 h prior, to 14 days after symptom onset; or 14 days before collection of the laboratory-positive sample for asymptomatic cases. High risk contacts were those who had come into unprotected face-to-face contact or had been in a closed environment with a SARS-CoV-2 case for >15 min. Forty cases were reported from four clusters by 22 April 2020, accounting for 61% of locally transmitted cases within six weeks. Clusters A, B, C and D were associated with two nightclubs, one house party, and different families or households living in the same compound (multi-family dwelling). Thirty-six of the 1035 contacts tested were positive (secondary attack rate: 3.5%). Positivity rates were highest among the high-risk contacts compared to low-risk contacts (10% vs. 2.2%). Index cases in three of the clusters were imported through international travelling. Fifteen of the 40 cases (38%) were asymptomatic while 13/25 (52%) and 8/25 (32%) of symptomatic cases had a cough and fever respectively. Gatherings in closed spaces were the main early drivers of transmission. Systematic case-investigations contact tracing and testing likely contributed to the early containment of SARS-CoV-2 in Rwanda.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s380-s380
Author(s):  
Sree Kalpana Mohankumar ◽  
Vishweshwarayya Hiremath ◽  
Rajashree Koppad

Background: Countries that have good rubella surveillance, report ∼10,000–20,000 rubella cases annually. In India, not many cases of rubella are reported. The Hebballi Agasi ward of Dharwad district in Karnataka state, India, reported rubella cases on the last week of January 2015. Objective: We investigated the outbreak by time, place, person, and clinical symptoms. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study. We defined a case as any resident of Heballi Agasi who had fever and rash, with or without lymphadenopathy, arthralgia, conjunctivitis, coryza, and cough, after December 15, 2014. We collected sociodemographic details and clinical symptoms of patients. We collected 5 serum samples and sent them to the National Measles Laboratory, Bangalore. We tested for measles and rubella antibodies. We drew an epidemic curve and a spot map. We computed mean age of cases, and we calculated attack rates by mean age and gender. We calculated proportions to describe clinical symptoms, and we interviewed stakeholders regarding rubella vaccination. We continued surveillance until March 2015. Results: The population of Heballi Agasi was 1,458. We identified 15 rubella cases (9 girls and 6 boys). The outbreak lasted between December 10, 2014, and February 21, 2015, with a peak on January 16, 2015. The overall attack rate was 1% (15 of 1,458). The mean age of the cases was 6 years (range, 1–23). The attack rate was high (7.7%) among those aged 1–6 years (11 of 143). The attack rate among those aged >6 years was 0.3% (4 of 1,315). In addition to fever and rash, 93% of cases (14 of 15) had coryza, 47% had cough (7 of 15), and 40% had conjunctivitis (6 of 15). Lymphadenopathy was present in only 1 case (1 of 15), and arthralgia was absent among all 15 cases. There was no death among the cases. All 5 sera were positive for rubella and negative for measles. Rubella vaccination was not given for any of the cases because no rubella vaccination is provided in the routine immunization program. Conclusions: There was a rubella outbreak in Heballi Agasi ward. Children aged 1–6 years were most affected. We recommend rubella vaccination in the routine immunization.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


Author(s):  
Sara Carazo ◽  
Denis Laliberté ◽  
Jasmin Villeneuve ◽  
Richard Martin ◽  
Pierre Deshaies ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objectives: To estimate the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate and the secondary attack rate among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Quebec, the most affected province of Canada during the first wave; to describe the evolution of work-related exposures and infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in infected HCWs; and to compare the exposures and practices between acute care hospitals (ACHs) and long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Design: Survey of cases Participants: Quebec HCWs from private and public institutions with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed between 1st March and 14th June 2020. HCWs ≥18 years old, having worked during the exposure period and survived their illness were eligible for the survey. Methods: After obtaining consent, 4542 HCWs completed a standardized questionnaire. COVID-19 rates and proportions of exposures and practices were estimated and compared between ACHs and LTCFs. Results: HCWs represented 25% (13,726/54,005) of all reported COVID-19 cases in Quebec and had an 11-times greater rate than non-HCWs. Their secondary household attack rate was 30%. Most affected occupations were healthcare support workers, nurses and nurse assistants, working in LTCFs (45%) and ACHs (30%). Compared to ACHs, HCWs of LTCFs had less training, higher staff mobility between working sites, similar PPE use but better self-reported compliance with at-work physical distancing. Sub-optimal IPC practices declined over time but were still present at the end of the first wave. Conclusion: Quebec HCWs and their families were severely affected during the first wave of COVID-19. Insufficient pandemic preparedness and suboptimal IPC practices likely contributed to high transmission in both LTCFs and ACHs.


PLoS Medicine ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. e218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Riley ◽  
Joseph T Wu ◽  
Gabriel M Leung

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212110083
Author(s):  
Omoleke Semeeh ◽  
Biniam Getachew ◽  
Yusuf Taofik ◽  
Lukman Surajudeen ◽  
Assad Hassan ◽  
...  

Introduction: In 2019, we investigated the profile of the cases and controls and the determinants of pertussis transmission in Kebbi State, Northwestern Nigeria, to inform better immunization and surveillance strategies. Methods: Community-based unmatched case–control study and review of the 2019 pertussis routine surveillance data in the affected settlements in the state were conducted. A total of 52 suspected cases of pertussis and 107 control from two local government areas in Kebbi State were recruited. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The highest attack rate was observed among between 1- and 4-year age group followed by children less than 1-year old, and the least attack rate was among those above 15 years. The overall attack rate and the case fatality rate were 2.10% and 0.10%, respectively. A higher attack rate was observed among women, whereas the case fatality rate was more among males. From the community survey, we observed that the cases were less likely to have pertussis vaccination history (adjusted odds ratio = 0.28, 95% confidence interval = 0.11–0.74) compared with the controls. Knowing pertussis prevention methods were found protective for pertussis transmission (adjusted odds ratio = 0.14, 95% confidence interval = 0.04–0.45). Conclusion: This study showed the vulnerability of children under 5 years, especially under 1 year, to vaccine-preventable diseases in rural populations, where “real” immunization coverage is sub-optimal, and the dominant socio-demographic factors are supportive of disease transmission. We found immunization and knowledge of the preventive measures to be protective against pertussis outbreaks. Therefore, routine immunization services must be intensified to improve coverage and prevent future pertussis outbreak(s).


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