Analysis of a super-transmission of SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant BA.5.2 in the outdoor night market

Frontiers in Public Health

Public Health

Gong Zhenyu¹  Liu Shelan¹  Luo Mingyu¹  He Hanqing²  Qi Xiaohua³  Wu Kunyang⁴  Zhu Liebo⁵  Wang Fengying⁵  Pang Zhifeng⁵  Dong Xuanjun⁶  Yu Min⁷ 

[1] Department of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China;Department of Immunization Program, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China;Department of Public Health Emergency Response, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China;Department of TB Control and Prevention, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China;Jinhua Prefecture-level Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinhua, China;Yiwu County-level Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinhua, China;Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China;

关键词: COVID-19;    aerosol transmission;    omicron;    outbreak;    aerosol suspension time;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2023.1153303

 received in 2023-01-29, accepted in 2023-06-15,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, and mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 continues. The new strain has become more transmissible. The role of aerosol transmission in the pandemic deserves great attention.MethodsIn this observational study, we collected data from market customers and stallholders who had been exposed to the virus in the Qingkou night market on July 31 and were subsequently infected. We analyzed the possible infection zones of secondary cases and aerosol suspension time in ambient air. We described and analyzed the characteristics of the secondary cases and the transmission routes for customers.ResultsThe point source outbreak of COVID-19 in Qingkou night market contained a cluster of 131 secondary cases. In a less-enclosed place like the Qingkou night market, aerosols with BA.5.2 strain released by patients could suspend in ambient air up to 1 h 39 min and still be contagious.ConclusionAerosols with viruses can spread over a relatively long distance and stay in ambient air for a long time in a less enclosed space, but shorter than that under experimental conditions. Therefore, the aerosol suspension time must be considered when identifying and tracing close contact in outbreak investigations.

【 授权许可】

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Copyright © 2023 Mingyu, Shelan, Liebo, Fengying, Kunyang, Hanqing, Xiaohua, Zhifeng, Xuanjun, Zhenyu and Min.