Will a new clade of SARS-CoV-2 imported into the community spark a fourth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong?
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Siu GK
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7717696 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:We describe an introduction of clade GH severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causing a fourth wave of coronavirus disease in Hong Kong. The virus has an ORF3a-Q57H mutation, causing truncation of ORF3b. This virus evades induction of cytokine, chemokine, and interferon-stimulated gene expression in primary human respiratory cells.
| S-EPMC8084491 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesTo examine the physical, psychological and pandemic fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore the correlates of fatigue using a representative, population-based, community sample of Chinese adults in Hong Kong.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingTelephone surveys in Hong Kong from December 2020 to January 2021 (during the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreak).Participants1255 adults living in Hong Kong aged 18 years or older sampled using a multistage approach (53% women).Main outcome measuresPhysical and psychological fatigue: The Fatigue Assessment Scale (with a cut-off score of 22). Pandemic fatigue: Adherence to six disease prevention measures (DPM) recommended by the government.ResultsAbout 25.7% of the participants were feeling fatigued physically and psychologically. Physical and psychological fatigue was not directly associated with pandemic fatigue, and their association was fully mediated by self-perceived disruptions of COVID-19-related restrictions in daily life. Results from the hierarchical regression analysis showed that higher levels of fatigue were associated with economically inactive status (B=0.18, SE=0.04, p<0.001), having family or friend infected with COVID-19 before or during the study (B=0.17, SE=0.01, p<0.001), lower acceptability of DPM (B=-0.16, SE=0.03, p<0.001), greater disruptions in daily life (B=0.22, SE=0.02, p<0.001), and greater trust in authorities in ending the pandemic (B=0.11, SE=0.02, p<0.001).ConclusionsFatigue affected many individuals during the pandemic. Disruptions of DPM in daily life may serve as a mediator in the association between pandemic fatigue and physical and psychological fatigue, reflecting the need of effective interventions to reduce self-perceived disruptions of COVID-19-related restrictions in the general population. Resources should be allocated to provide sufficient services to individuals vulnerable to fatigue during the prolonged pandemic.
| S-EPMC9755901 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC3471616 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVE:To examine the public's knowledge and perception of SARS and the extent to which various precautionary measures have been adopted. DESIGN:Cross sectional survey. SETTING:General population of Hong Kong at the height of the SARS outbreak (29 March to 6 April 2003). PARTICIPANTS:1115 ethnic Chinese adults. MAIN RESULTS:Forty per cent did not recognise fomites as a possible mode of transmission whereas 55.1% believed that the infection could be transmitted airborne. A large proportion (30.1%) believed they were very or somewhat likely to contract SARS while only one quarter believed they were very likely to survive if they contracted the disease, benchmarked against an actual case fatality ratio of 2.8% at the time of the survey and 15%-20% according to current best estimates. Precautionary measures directed against person to person droplet spread were generally adopted by most while the prevention of transmission through fomites was not practised as frequently. Respondents with higher risk perceptions and a moderate level of anxiety were most likely to take comprehensive precautionary measures against the infection, as were older, female, more educated people as well as those with a positive contact history and SARS-like symptoms. CONCLUSIONS:The findings demonstrate that the promotion of protective personal health practices to interrupt the self sustaining transmission of the SARS virus in the community must take into account background perceptions of risk and anxiety levels of the public at large. Continuing public education about preventive measures should be targeted at the identified groups with low current uptake of precautions.
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Project description:A scarlet fever outbreak occurred in Hong Kong in 2011. The majority of cases resulted in the isolation of Streptococcus pyogenes emm12 with multiple antibiotic resistances. Phylogenetic analysis of 22 emm12 scarlet fever outbreak isolates, 7 temporally and geographically matched emm12 non-scarlet fever isolates, and 18 emm12 strains isolated during 2005-2010 indicated the outbreak was multiclonal. Genome sequencing of 2 nonclonal scarlet fever isolates (HKU16 and HKU30), coupled with diagnostic polymerase chain reaction assays, identified 2 mobile genetic elements distributed across the major lineages: a 64.9-kb integrative and conjugative element encoding tetracycline and macrolide resistance and a 46.4-kb prophage encoding superantigens SSA and SpeC and the DNase Spd1. Phenotypic comparison of HKU16 and HKU30 with the S. pyogenes M1T1 strain 5448 revealed that HKU16 displays increased adherence to HEp-2 human epithelial cells, whereas HKU16, HKU30, and 5448 exhibit equivalent resistance to neutrophils and virulence in a humanized plasminogen murine model. However, in contrast to M1T1, the virulence of HKU16 and HKU30 was not associated with covRS mutation. The multiclonal nature of the emm12 scarlet fever isolates suggests that factors such as mobile genetic elements, environmental factors, and host immune status may have contributed to the 2011 scarlet fever outbreak.
| S-EPMC4125623 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Initial cases of coronavirus disease in Hong Kong were imported from mainland China. A dramatic increase in case numbers was seen in February 2020. Most case-patients had no recent travel history, suggesting the presence of transmission chains in the local community. We collected demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic data from 50 patients, who accounted for 53.8% of total reported case-patients as of February 28, 2020. We performed whole-genome sequencing to determine phylogenetic relationship and transmission dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections. By using phylogenetic analysis, we attributed the community outbreak to 2 lineages; 1 harbored a common mutation, Orf3a-G251V, and accounted for 88.0% of the cases in our study. The estimated time to the most recent common ancestor of local coronavirus disease outbreak was December 24, 2019, with an evolutionary rate of 3.04 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year. The reproduction number was 1.84, indicating ongoing community spread.
| S-EPMC7774584 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background Prior to this report, variants of concern for SARS-CoV-2 were only detected from imported cases in Hong Kong. Objective Multiple cases of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.351 have been identified in local community. We reported the phylogenetic relationship of these cases. Study design SARS-CoV-2 cases were screened for the key non-synonymous substitutions in spike protein by different assays. Preliminary positive cases were further tested by whole genome sequencing. Results From Dec 2020 to May 2021, 55 SARS-CoV-2 cases belonged to lineage B.1.351. Among them, eight genomes were clustered together, all of them were local cases with epidemiological link. Conclusions To track variants of SARS-CoV-2 and to allow early implementation of control measures, SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance must be consistently performed.
| S-EPMC8200330 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC8661686 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Hong Kong utilized an elimination strategy with intermittent use of public health and social measures and increasingly stringent travel regulations to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission. By analyzing >1700 genome sequences representing 17% of confirmed cases from 23-January-2020 to 26-January-2021, we reveal the effects of fluctuating control measures on the evolution and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Hong Kong. Despite numerous importations, only three introductions were responsible for 90% of locally-acquired cases, two of which circulated cryptically for weeks while less stringent measures were in place. We found that SARS-CoV-2 within-host diversity was most similar among transmission pairs and epidemiological clusters due to a strong transmission bottleneck through which similar genetic background generates similar within-host diversity. Out of the 170 detected introductions of SARS-CoV-2 in Hong Kong during 2020, three introductions caused 90% of community cases.
| S-EPMC8240692 | biostudies-literature
Project description:During the early phase of the coronavirus disease epidemic in Hong Kong, 1,715 survey respondents reported high levels of perceived risk, mild anxiety, and adoption of personal-hygiene, travel-avoidance, and social-distancing measures. Widely adopted individual precautionary measures, coupled with early government actions, might slow transmission early in the outbreak.
| S-EPMC7323558 | biostudies-literature