• COVID-19
• Publicationsclose
• Research softwareclose
• Other research productsclose
• 2014-2023close
• Open Access close
• CN close
• DE close
• IE close
• COVID-19 close

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has expanded rapidly throughout China. Major behavioral, clinical, and state interventions are underway currently to mitigate the epidemic and prevent the persistence of the virus in human populations in China and worldwide. It remains unclear how these unprecedented interventions, including travel restrictions, have affected COVID-19 spread in China. We use real-time mobility data from Wuhan and detailed case data including travel history to elucidate the role of case importation on transmission in cities across China and ascertain the impact of control measures. Early on, the spatial distribution of COVID-19 cases in China was well explained by human mobility data. Following the implementation of control measures, this correlation dropped and growth rates became negative in most locations, although shifts in the demographics of reported cases are still indicative of local chains of transmission outside Wuhan. This study shows that the drastic control measures implemented in China have substantially mitigated the spread of COVID-19. One sentence summary: The spread of COVID-19 in China was driven by human mobility early on and mitigated substantially by drastic control measures implemented since the end of January.

AbstractThe ongoing outbreak of viral pneumonia in China and beyond is associated with a novel coronavirus, provisionally termed 2019-nCoV. This outbreak has been tentatively associated with a seafood market in Wuhan, China, where the sale of wild animals may be the source of zoonotic infection. Although bats are likely reservoir hosts for 2019-nCoV, the identity of any intermediate host facilitating transfer to humans is unknown. Here, we report the identification of 2019-nCoV related coronaviruses in pangolins (Manis javanica) seized in anti-smuggling operations in southern China. Metagenomic sequencing identified pangolin associated CoVs that belong to two sub-lineages of 2019-nCoV related coronaviruses, including one very closely related to 2019-nCoV in the receptor-binding domain. The discovery of multiple lineages of pangolin coronavirus and their similarity to 2019-nCoV suggests that pangolins should be considered as possible intermediate hosts for this novel human virus and should be removed from wet markets to prevent zoonotic transmission.

The risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is particularly high for healthcare workers during the pandemic. Home care workers visit many different households per shift. Encounters with mostly elderly patients and their relatives increase the potential for the undetected spread of SARS-CoV-2. In order to gain insight into the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and possible transmission risks in outpatient care, this follow-up study was conducted with nursing services in Hamburg. The aim was to estimate the dynamics of seroprevalence in this occupational group over a 12-month period, to identify occupation-specific risk factors, and to collect information on the vaccination status of the surveyed nursing staff. Antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 IgG against the S1 domain (EUROIMUN Analyser I® Lübeck, Germany) was performed on participating healthcare workers with patient contact at a total of four time points within one year from July 2020 to October 2021 (baseline, follow-up after three, six and twelve months). The data were mostly analysed descriptively. Differences in IgG titres were analysed using variance analysis methods, particularly Tukey’s range test. The seroprevalence was 1.2% (8/678) at baseline and 1.5% (9/581) at the three-month follow-up (T1). At the second follow-up (T2) after six months, vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 was available from January 2021 onwards. The prevalence rate of positive IgG antibodies relative to the S1 domain of the spike protein test among unvaccinated individuals was 6.5%. At (T3) after twelve months (July to October 2021), 482 participants were enrolled, and 85.7% of the workers were considered fully vaccinated at this time point, while 51 individuals were unvaccinated. The prevalence was 13.7% (7/51). In our study, a low seroprevalence was found among home care workers, which was lower than in our studies conducted in the clinical setting. Therefore, it can be assumed that the occupational risk of infection is rather low for both the nursing staff and the patients/clients cared for in the outpatient setting. The good provision of protective equipment and the high vaccination rate of the staff probably had a positive influence.

Abstract Purpose The COVID-19 vaccination is probably the most important source to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recommendations and possibilities for vaccination for pregnant and breastfeeding women are inconsistent and dynamically changing. Methods An anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey was conducted among pregnant and breastfeeding women in Germany between 30th March and 19th April 2021 addressing COVID-19 vaccination attitudes including the underlying reasons for their decision. Additionally, anxiety regarding a SARS-CoV-2 infection and a symptomatic course of the infection were evaluated. Results In total, 2339 women (n = 1043 pregnant and n = 1296 breastfeeding) completed the survey. During pregnancy the majority (57.4%) are not in favour of receiving the vaccine, 28.8% are unsure and only 13.8% would get vaccinated at the time of the survey. In contrast, 47.2% would be in favour to receive the vaccine, if more scientific evidence on the safety of the vaccination during pregnancy would be available. Breastfeeding women show higher vaccination willingness (39.5% are in favour, 28.1% are unsure and 32.5% not in favour). The willingness to be vaccinated is significantly related to the women’s anxiety levels of getting infected and to develop disease symptoms. Main reasons for vaccination hesitancy are the women’s perception of limited vaccination-specific information, limited scientific evidence on vaccination safety and the fear to harm the fetus or infant. Conclusions The results provide important implications for obstetrical care during the pandemic as well as for official recommendations und information strategies regarding the COVID-19 vaccination.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is already a pandemic. Few studies investigated the epidemic characteristics of the COVID-19 outbreak in the well-developed cities. Methods Epidemiological data of 136 confirmed COVID-19 cases were collected from the dataset of COVID-19 in Tianjin. All confirmed cases were categorized according to their potential infection sources. Daily numbers of confirmed cases of each category were plotted by date of onset, and the epidemic form of each category was inferred. Results Among the 136 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 48 cases were categorized as imported cases and their close contacts, which were the majority of early cases. A total of 43 cases were found an epidemiological link to the Baodi department store, and they were inferred to be a common-source outbreak. Additionally, 35 cases were considered as familial clusters of COVID-19 cases, and 10 cases were sporadic. The 45 cases were inferred to be a propagated epidemic. Conclusions Local transmission of COVID-19 mainly occurred within families and a poorly ventilated public place in Tianjin. Besides the imported cases, the pattern of local transmission of COVID-19 was a mixture of the propagated epidemic and the common-source outbreak in Tianjin. Highlights • Local transmission of COVID-19 is largely occurring in the well-developed cities. • The epidemic pattern was propagated combined with the common-source outbreak. • COVID-19 mainly occurred within families and a poorly ventilated public place.

Background Acute disease outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic cause a high burden of psychological distress in people worldwide. Interventions to enable people to better cope with such distress should be based on the best available evidence. We therefore performed a scoping review to systematically identify and summarize the available literature of interventions that target the distress of people in the face of highly contagious disease outbreaks. Methods MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science (January 2000 to May 7, 2020), and reference lists were systematically searched and screened by two independent reviewers. Quantitative and qualitative studies investigating the effects of psychological interventions before, during, and after outbreaks of highly contagious emerging infectious diseases, such as SARS, MERS, Ebola, or COVID-19 were included. Study effects were grouped (e.g. for healthcare professionals, community members, people at risk) and intervention contents at the individual and organizational level summarized. We assessed the level of evidence using a modified scheme from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. Results Of 4030 records found, 19 studies were included (two RCTs). Most interventions were delivered during-exposure and face-to-face, focused on healthcare workers and crisis personnel, and combined psychoeducation with training of coping strategies. Based on two high-quality studies, beneficial effects were reported for resilience factors (e.g. positive cognitive appraisal) and professional attitudes of healthcare workers, with mixed findings for mental health (e.g. depression). Across all studies, there was positive qualitative feedback from participants and facilitators. We identified seven ongoing studies mostly using online- and mobile-based deliveries. Conclusions There is preliminary evidence for beneficial effects of interventions to enable people to better cope with the distress of highly contagious emerging disease outbreaks. Besides the need for more high-quality studies, the summarized evidence may inform decision makers to plan interventions during the current pandemic and to develop pandemic preparedness plans.

PURPOSE: The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has significantly impacted people's lives. This study aimed to examine the influence of the unexpected second wave of COVID-19 on sleep quality and anxiety of Chinese residents in Beijing in June 2020, compared with the initial outbreak at the beginning of 2020, and to investigate the associated factors. METHODS: Using a web-based cross-sectional survey, we collected data from 1,511 participants. assessed with demographic information, sleep quality and anxiety symptoms. The participants were asked to compare their recent sleep and sleep during the first outbreak. The Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was used to assess their current insomnia severity. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between COVID-19 epidemic and risk of sleep disturbance and anxiety symptom. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of sleep disturbance and anxiety symptoms were 50.8% and 15.3% respectively. People had significantly shorter sleep duration during the second wave of COVID-19(7.3 ± 1.3) h than the first outbreak (7.5 ± 1.4)h (p < 0.001). During the second outbreak, people were less concerned about infection and more concerned about financial stress and occupational inferference. Beijing residents did not have significant differences in sleep disturbance and anxiety compared with other regions, nor were occupations and nucleic acid testing associated risk factors. Home quarantine, health administrators, history of insomnia and anxiety-depression were significantly associated with sleep disturbance. Female gender, home quarantine, history of insomnia and anxiety-depression were significantly associated with anxiety. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of sleep disturbance and depression symptom was common during the second wave of COVID-19 crisis in Beijing. Home quarantine and previous history of insomnia and anxiety-depressive risk factors were associated with sleep disturbance and anxiety. Female gender was impacting predictor of anxiety. We need continuous assessment of the sleep quality and anxiety symptoms of this epidemic.