Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases beyond health-care professionals or social and health-care facilities

Abstract

Background During the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Italy, infection among health-care professionals and in the context of welfare and health-care facilities was a significant concern. It is known that the elderly or those with concomitant pathologies are at greater risk of a serious evolution of the disease if affected by COVID-19 and that health workers are a category with greater exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Until now, there has been little information on the epidemiological features and transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 outbreak which did not involve health-care professionals or social and health-care facilities. For this reason, this paper aims to describe the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population outside these semi-closed communities. Methods The study was designed by analyzing the data of the 1371 SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects observed in Sardinia up to 9 July, 2020 and whose data were available in the public health department. Statistical analysis and graphic representation were performed using STATA and Adobe Illustrator, respectively. Results Of the positive cases analyzed, 323 (23.5%) are health-care workers and 563 (41.1%) reside in social or health-care facilities. The number of positive cases among the general population (subjects who do not belong to these semi-closed communities), is 399 (29.1%), 208 females and 191 males. The estimated Case Fatality Rate stands at 5.0%, which is almost half the rate reported for all the SARS-CoV-2 positive cases (9.8%). The geographical distribution of positive cases differs considerably from the distribution of the totality of cases in Sardinia. Conclusions This review provides an insight into the COVID-19 situation in the general community, ie not involving health-care professionals or social and health-care facilities. Understanding the evolving epidemiology and transmission dynamics of the outbreak outside of these semi-closed communities would provide appropriate information to guide intervention policy. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the vulnerability of our health-care system. Severe disruptions in care, medicine shortages and unequal access to health-care are but a few examples of the challenges faced by people living in Italy and Europe, highlighting the importance of evidence-based approaches in supporting the development of prevention and response strategies for future pandemics.

SARS-CoV-2 Epidemics in Retirement and Nursing Homes in Italy: A New Preparedness Assessment Model after the First Epidemic Wave

“…The mean number of comorbidities found is 2.5 ± 1.6. Similar data has already been reported in previous experiences, aimed at examining the health conditions of subjects who had died of COVID-19 [ 15 ]. By evaluating the comorbidity classified as “other conditions”, a misclassification was detected which could weigh on an underestimation of the other classes of comorbidity (especially for chronic neurological diseases).…”

“…The district of Sassari was the most affected area throughout the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic. As of 31 May 2020, 1356 cases were identified in the region, 64.2% (870) of which were in Sassari ( Figure 1 ), and more than 40% among residents in long-term care facilities [ 15 ].…”

“…Data from a survey by the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) shows that in the first half of 2020, in Italy, more than 7% of the total number of deaths in residential facilities for the elderly involved residents infected with SARS-CoV-2 and that over 30% of the death toll had COVID-like symptoms [ 10 ]. During the same period, Sardinia showed a low risk for COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 mortality [ 14 ] but the number of cases among residents in long-term care facilities accounted for more than 40% of the total registered COVID-19 cases [ 15 ].…”

Influenza Vaccination Strategies in Healthcare Workers: A Cohort Study (2018–2021) in an Italian University Hospital

“…The most effective preventive strategy available to reduce the burden of the disease is vaccination [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Adherence to flu vaccination is especially important in the current pandemic, as the initial symptoms of COVID-19 are very similar to those of influenza and, therefore, the concomitance of seasonal influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infection would place an additional burden on the health service, with increasing difficulties for physicians to reach diagnosis [ 13 , 14 ]. In this regard, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends offering influenza vaccination with priority given to healthcare workers, adults ≥ 65 years, pregnant women, individuals with underlying health conditions, and children aged 6–59 months [ 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Dissection of non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented by Iran, South Korea, and Turkey in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic

“…So far, the COVID-19 epidemic has contributed to a disruption in the global supply chain of essential protective supplies [77][78][79][80]. Indeed, one of the essential challenges of lower developed countries is the lack of pivotal supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as inadequate numbers of beds per capita compared with other countries [77,81,82].…”