Effects of contact tracing and nucleic acid testing on the COVID-19 outbreak in Zunyi, China: data-driven study using a branching process model

BMC Infectious Diseases

Research Article

Jun Feng¹  Qinyi Wu¹  Guanghong Yang¹  Xingui Ye¹  Zhixi Liu²  Yue Zhu²  Wenlong Zhu²  Weibing Wang³ 

[1] Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 73 Ba Ge Yan Road, 550000, Guiyang, China;School of Public Health, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, 200032, Shanghai, China;School of Public Health, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, 200032, Shanghai, China;Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, 200032, Shanghai, China;

关键词: COVID-19;    Outbreak;    Vaccine;    Non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI);    Branching process model;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12879-022-07967-2

 received in 2022-02-23, accepted in 2022-12-22,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundDuring October 2021, China experienced localized outbreaks of COVID-19 in many cities. We analyzed the small local outbreak in Zunyi (Guizhou Province), a major city in southwestern China, and modeled the effects of different interventions on this outbreak.MethodsData on infections and contacts, provided by the Health Commission of Guizhou Province, were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the outbreak and calculate the effectiveness of vaccination. A branching process model was used to simulate the outbreak. This model considered the time interval from exposure of the initial case to confirmation, the number of potential infections caused by the initial case, and the effects of the different interventions.ResultsFrom 18 to 25 October 2021, there were 12 patients with COVID-19 in Zunyi. Overall, the average age was 67.17 years-old, 8 patients were females, and 1 patient had an asymptomatic infection. The effectiveness of two-dose inactivated vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection was 16.7% (95% CI: 2.8% to 99.7%). The initial case was infected on 11 or 12 October 2021, 6.40 (95% CI: 6.37, 6.42; IQR: 4.92, 7.63) days before confirmation while the travelling in Lanzhou (Gansu Province). There were 10.07 (95% CI: 10.04, 10.09; IQR: 7.86, 11.93) potential secondary cases. When the effective vaccine coverage reached 60%, the probability of cumulative cases exceeding 20 was less than 8.77%, even if contact tracing was relaxed or eliminated. However, if the probability of tracing contacts decreased, earlier initiation of nucleic acid testing was necessary to control the outbreak.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 outbreak in Zunyi was controlled quickly due to moderately effective vaccine coverage and rapid contact tracing. For controlling localized outbreaks, vaccination and contact tracing seemed to be more effective than massive nucleic acid testing in the initial phase of transmission. However, if there is low effective vaccine coverage or insufficient contact tracing, nucleic acid testing should start earlier.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

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