BACKGROUND: COVID-19 continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Correctional and detention facilities are at high risk of experiencing outbreaks. We aimed to evaluate cohort-based testing among detained persons exposed to laboratory-confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in order to identify presymptomatic and asymptomatic cases. METHODS: During May 1-19, 2020, two testing strategies were implemented in 12 tiers or housing units of the Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois. Detained persons were approached to participate in serial testing (n=137) tests at 3 time points over 14 days (day 1, day 3-5, and day 13-14). The second group was offered a single test and interview at the end of a 14-day quarantine period (day 14 group) (n=87). RESULTS: A total of 224 detained persons were approached for participation and of these 194 (87%) participated in at least one interview, and 172 (77%) had at least one test. Of the 172 tested, 19 were positive for SARS-CoV-2. In the serial testing group, 17 (89%) new cases were detected, sixteen (84%) on day 1, one (5%) on days 3-5, and none on days 13-14; and, in day 14 group, two (11%) cases were identified. More than half (12/19; 63%) of the newly identified cases were pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the utility of cohort-based testing promptly after initiating quarantine within a housing tier. Cohort-based testing efforts identified new SARS-CoV-2 asymptomatic and presymptomatic infections that may have been missed by symptom screening alone. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2020.
BACKGROUND:COVID-19 continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Correctional and detention facilities are at high risk of experiencing outbreaks. We aimed to evaluate cohort-based testing among detained persons exposed to laboratory-confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in order to identify presymptomatic and asymptomatic cases. METHODS: During May 1-19, 2020, two testing strategies were implemented in 12 tiers or housing units of the Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois. Detained persons were approached to participate in serial testing (n=137) tests at 3 time points over 14 days (day 1, day 3-5, and day 13-14). The second group was offered a single test and interview at the end of a 14-day quarantine period (day 14 group) (n=87). RESULTS: A total of 224 detained persons were approached for participation and of these 194 (87%) participated in at least one interview, and 172 (77%) had at least one test. Of the 172 tested, 19 were positive for SARS-CoV-2. In the serial testing group, 17 (89%) new cases were detected, sixteen (84%) on day 1, one (5%) on days 3-5, and none on days 13-14; and, in day 14 group, two (11%) cases were identified. More than half (12/19; 63%) of the newly identified cases were pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the utility of cohort-based testing promptly after initiating quarantine within a housing tier. Cohort-based testing efforts identified new SARS-CoV-2 asymptomatic and presymptomatic infections that may have been missed by symptom screening alone. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2020.
Entities:
Keywords:
COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; correctional facilities; serial testing
Authors: Angela Stufano; Nicola Buonvino; Francesco Cagnazzo; Nicola Armenise; Daniela Pontrelli; Giovanna Curzio; Leonarda De Benedictis; Piero Lovreglio Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2021-07-07