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ABSTRACT: Background
10 days after the first reported case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the Netherlands (on Feb 27, 2020), 55 (4%) of 1497 health-care workers in nine hospitals located in the south of the Netherlands had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. We aimed to gain insight in possible sources of infection in health-care workers.Methods
We did a cross-sectional study at three of the nine hospitals located in the south of the Netherlands. We screened health-care workers at the participating hospitals for SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on clinical symptoms (fever or mild respiratory symptoms) in the 10 days before screening. We obtained epidemiological data through structured interviews with health-care workers and combined this information with data from whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples taken from health-care workers and patients. We did an in-depth analysis of sources and modes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in health-care workers and patients.Findings
Between March 2 and March 12, 2020, 1796 (15%) of 12?022 health-care workers were screened, of whom 96 (5%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. We obtained complete and near-complete genome sequences from 50 health-care workers and ten patients. Most sequences were grouped in three clusters, with two clusters showing local circulation within the region. The noted patterns were consistent with multiple introductions into the hospitals through community-acquired infections and local amplification in the community.Interpretation
Although direct transmission in the hospitals cannot be ruled out, our data do not support widespread nosocomial transmission as the source of infection in patients or health-care workers.Funding
EU Horizon 2020 (RECoVer, VEO, and the European Joint Programme One Health METASTAVA), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
SUBMITTER: Sikkema RS
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7332281 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Sikkema Reina S RS Pas Suzan D SD Nieuwenhuijse David F DF O'Toole Áine Á Verweij Jaco J van der Linden Anne A Chestakova Irina I Schapendonk Claudia C Pronk Mark M Lexmond Pascal P Bestebroer Theo T Overmars Ronald J RJ van Nieuwkoop Stefan S van den Bijllaardt Wouter W Bentvelsen Robbert G RG van Rijen Miranda M L MML Buiting Anton G M AGM van Oudheusden Anne J G AJG Diederen Bram M BM Bergmans Anneke M C AMC van der Eijk Annemiek A Molenkamp Richard R Rambaut Andrew A Timen Aura A Kluytmans Jan A J W JAJW Oude Munnink Bas B BB Kluytmans van den Bergh Marjolein F Q MFQ Koopmans Marion P G MPG
The Lancet. Infectious diseases 20200702 11
<h4>Background</h4>10 days after the first reported case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the Netherlands (on Feb 27, 2020), 55 (4%) of 1497 health-care workers in nine hospitals located in the south of the Netherlands had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. We aimed to gain insight in possible sources of infection in health-care workers.<h4>Methods</h4>We did a cross-sectional study at three of the nine hospitals located in the south of the Netherland ...[more]