Project description:Using numbers of SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in Japan as at 13 June 2021, relative instantaneous reproduction numbers (RRI) of the R.1, Alpha, and Delta variants with respect to other strains circulating in Japan were estimated at 1.25, 1.44, and 1.95. Depending on the assumed serial interval distributions, RRI varies from 1.20-1.32 for R.1, 1.34-1.58 for Alpha, and 1.70-2.30 for Delta. The frequency of Delta is expected to take over Alpha in Japan before 23 July 2021.
Project description:Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Delta variant epidemiology in Africa is unknown. We found Delta variant was introduced in Benin during April-May 2021 and became predominant within 2 months, after which a steep increase in reported coronavirus disease incidence occurred. Benin might require increased nonpharmaceutical interventions and vaccination coverage.
Project description:A March-June 2021 representative serosurvey among Sitakunda subdistrict (Chattogram, Bangladesh) residents found an adjusted prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies of 64.1% (95% credible interval 60.0%-68.1%). Before the Delta variant surge, most residents had been infected, although cumulative confirmed coronavirus disease incidence was low.
Project description:The goal of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological effectiveness of the Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona vaccines against COVID-19. This work is a retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients. The cohort created by the Moscow Health Department included more than 300,000 infected people who sought medical care in June and July 2021. Analysis of data revealed a tendency for the increase in the Sputnik V vaccine effectiveness (VE) as the severity of the disease increased. Protection was the lowest for mild disease, and it was more pronounced for severe disease. We also observed a decrease in VE with increasing age. For the youngest group (18-50 years old), the estimated VE in preventing death in June 2021 was 95% (95% CI 64-100), and for the older group (50+ years old), it was 74% (95% CI 67-87). The estimated protection against a severe form of the disease in the 18-50-year-old group was above 81% (CI 95% 72-93), and in the 50+ years-old group, it was above 68% (CI 95% 65-82). According to our analysis, EpiVacCorona proved to be an ineffective vaccine and therefore cannot protect against COVID-19.
Project description:We analysed 9,030 variant-specific RT-PCR tests performed on SARS-CoV-2-positive samples collected in France between 31 May and 21 June 2021. This analysis revealed rapid growth of the Delta variant in three of the 13 metropolitan French regions and estimated a +79% (95% confidence interval: 52-110%) transmission advantage compared with the Alpha variant. The next weeks will prove decisive and the magnitude of the estimated transmission advantages of the Delta variant could represent a major challenge for public health authorities.
Project description:BackgroundAn outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection occurred in Pingtung, Taiwan, in June 2021. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the clinical characteristics of the Delta-variant SARS-CoV-2 infection and the treatment outcome of antiviral agents in patients from Pingtung County in Southern Taiwan.MethodsA total of 11 patients with Delta-variant COVID-19 were consecutively admitted to a governmental hospital in June 2021. Baseline characteristics and treatment outcome were evaluated.ResultsAll patients were symptomatic. The most common symptoms were cough (72.7%), followed by fever (54.5%), headache (18.2%) and dysosmia/dysgeusia (18.2%). Two patients developed pneumonia without mechanical ventilation requirement. Compared to patients without pneumonia, those with pneumonia had higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (21.0 vs. 126.0 IU/L, P = 0.03) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (143.1 vs. 409.0 IU/mL, P = 0.03), and ferritin (0.2 vs. 2.0 mg/L, P = 0.046) levels. Pneumonia improved after 2-week treatment, and no mortality occurred after 30 days of diagnosis. The median duration of viral shedding duration of viral shedding was 16.5 days (range 11-42 days) (defined by time to repeated negative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or a cycle threshold (CT) value ≥ 30).ConclusionWe demonstrated the clinical characteristics of Delta-variant COVID-19 and treatment outcome of antiviral agents. The risk factors attributed to pneumonia were higher serum AST, ferritin, and LDH levels.
Project description:We assessed the impact of COVID-19 vaccination in Italy, by estimating numbers of averted COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths between January and September 2021, by age group and geographical macro areas. Timing and speed of vaccination programme implementation varied slightly between geographical areas, particularly for older adults. We estimated that 445,193 (17% of expected; range: 331,059-616,054) cases, 79,152 (32%; range: 53,209-148,756) hospitalisations, 9,839 ICU admissions (29%; range: 6,434-16,276) and 22,067 (38%; range: 13,571-48,026) deaths were prevented by vaccination.
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic continues to expand globally, with case numbers rising in many areas of the world, including the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Lebanon experienced its largest wave of COVID-19 infections from January to April 2021. Limited genomic surveillance was undertaken, with just 26 SARS-CoV-2 genomes available for this period, nine of which were from travellers from Lebanon detected by other countries. Additional genome sequencing is thus needed to allow surveillance of variants in circulation. In total, 905 SARS-CoV-2 genomes were sequenced using the ARTIC protocol. The genomes were derived from SARS-CoV-2-positive samples, selected retrospectively from the sentinel COVID-19 surveillance network, to capture diversity of location, sampling time, sex, nationality and age. Although 16 PANGO lineages were circulating in Lebanon in January 2021, by February there were just four, with the Alpha variant accounting for 97 % of samples. In the following 2 months, all samples contained the Alpha variant. However, this had changed dramatically by June and July 2021, when all samples belonged to the Delta variant. This study documents a ten-fold increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 genomes available from Lebanon. The Alpha variant, first detected in the UK, rapidly swept through Lebanon, causing the country's largest wave to date, which peaked in January 2021. The Alpha variant was introduced to Lebanon multiple times despite travel restrictions, but the source of these introductions remains uncertain. The Delta variant was detected in Gambia in travellers from Lebanon in mid-May, suggesting community transmission in Lebanon several weeks before this variant was detected in the country. Prospective sequencing in June/July 2021 showed that the Delta variant had completely replaced the Alpha variant in under 6 weeks.
Project description:BackgroundShort-term rehabilitation units present unique infection control challenges because of high turnover and medically complex residents. In June 2021, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health was notified of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta outbreak in a skilled nursing facility short-term rehabilitation unit. We describe the outbreak and assess vaccine effectiveness (VE).MethodsFacility electronic medical records were reviewed for residents who spent > 1 night on the affected unit between June 10 and July 23, 2021, to collect demographics, SARS-CoV-2 test results, underlying medical conditions, vaccination status, and clinical outcomes. Coronavirus disease 2019 VE estimates using Cox proportional hazards models were calculated.ResultsForty (37%) of 109 short-stay rehabilitation unit residents who met inclusion criteria tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2-positive case-patients were mostly male (58%) and White (78%) with a median age of 65 (range, 27-92) years; 11 (27%) were immunocompromised. Of residents, 39% (10 cases, 32 noncases) received 2 doses and 9% (4 cases, 6 noncases) received 1 dose of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine. Among nonimmunocompromised residents, adjusted 2-dose primary-series mRNA VE against symptomatic infection was 80% (95% confidence interval, 15-95). More cases were hospitalized (33%) or died (38%) than noncases (10% hospitalized; 16% died).ConclusionsIn this large SARS-CoV-2 Delta outbreak in a high-turnover short-term rehabilitation unit, a low vaccination rate and medically complex resident population were noted alongside severe outcomes. VE of 2-dose primary-series mRNA vaccine against symptomatic infection was the highest in nonimmunocompromised residents. Health departments can use vaccine coverage data to prioritize facilities for assistance in preventing outbreaks.
Project description:During October 2021-June 2023, a total of 392 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children in the United States were reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of national surveillance. We describe demographic and clinical characteristics, including potential involvement of adenovirus in development of acute hepatitis, of 8 fatally ill children who met reporting criteria. The children had diverse courses of illness. Two children were immunocompromised when initially brought for care. Four children tested positive for adenovirus in multiple specimen types, including 2 for whom typing was completed. One adenovirus-positive child had no known underlying conditions, supporting a potential relationship between adenovirus and acute hepatitis in previously healthy children. Our findings emphasize the importance of continued investigation to determine the mechanism of liver injury and appropriate treatment. Testing for adenovirus in similar cases could elucidate the role of the virus.