Detection and Genetic Characterization of Community-Based SARS-CoV-2 Infections - New York City, March 2020

To limit introduction of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the US restricted travel from China on Feb 2, 2020, and from Europe on Mar 13. To determine whether local transmission of SARS-CoV-2 could be detected, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Men...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2020, Vol.69 (28), p.918-922
Main Authors: MSN, Dena Bushman, Alroy, Karen A, Greene, Sharon K, Keating, Page, Wahnich, Amanda, Weiss, Don, DrPH, Preeti Pathela, Harrison, Christy, Rakeman, Jennifer, Langley, Gayle, Tong, Suxiang, Tao, Ying, Uehara, Anna, Queen, Krista, Paden, Clinton R, Szymczak, Wendy, Orner, Erika P, Nori, Priya, Lai, Phi A, Jacobson, Jessica L, Singh, Harjot K, Calfee, David P, Westblade, Lars F, Vasovic, Ljiljana V, Rand, Jacob H, Liu, Dakai, Singh, Vishnu, Burns, Janice, Prasad, Nishant, Sell, Jessica
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Disease transmission
Emergency medical services
Exposure
Genomes
Hygiene
Infections
Influenza
Passenger screening
Pathogens
Postal codes
Public health
Respiratory diseases
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Signs and symptoms
Surveillance
Travel
Viral diseases
Viruses
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Summary:To limit introduction of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the US restricted travel from China on Feb 2, 2020, and from Europe on Mar 13. To determine whether local transmission of SARS-CoV-2 could be detected, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) conducted deidentified sentinel surveillance at six NYC hospital emergency departments (EDs) during Mar 1--20. On Mar 8, while testing availability for SARS-CoV-2 was still limited, DOHMH announced sustained community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. At this time, twenty-six NYC residents had confirmed COVID-19, and ED visits for influenza-like illness increased, despite decreased influenza virus circulation. The following week, on Mar 15, when only seven of the 56 (13%) patients with known exposure histories had exposure outside of NYC, the level of community SARS-CoV-2 transmission status was elevated from sustained community transmission to widespread community transmission. Through sentinel surveillance during Mar 1--20, DOHMH collected 544 specimens from patients with influenza- like symptoms (ILS) who had negative test results for influenza and, in some instances, other respiratory pathogens.
ISSN:0149-2195
1545-861X