Public health initiatives from hospitalized patients with COVID-19, China

• Main Authors: Chenkai Zhao (Author), Yueqin Xu (Author), Xu Zhang (Author), Yaping Zhong (Author), Li Long (Author), Wenzhi Zhan (Author), Tingting Xu (Author), Chen Zhan (Author), Yuehan Chen (Author), Jinghai Zhu (Author), Wei Xiao (Author), Miao He (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2020-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1876-0341; 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.06.013
• Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Epidemiology; Incubation period; High-risk susceptible people; China; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Journal of Infection and Public Health, Vol 13, Iss 9, Pp 1229-1236 (2020)

Background: Since December 2019, when it first occurred in Wuhan, China, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly worldwide via human-to-human transmission. We aimed to describe the epidemiological and demographic features of COVID-19 outside Wuhan. Methods: A single-center case series of 136 consecutive (from January 16 to February 17, 2020) patients with confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized in The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, China, was retrospectively analyzed. Outcomes were followed up until February 19, 2020. Results: Of the 136 patients (median age, 49 years; interquartile range [IQR], 33-63 years; range, 0.3-83 years), 91 (67%) had been to Wuhan or contacted persons from Wuhan. Forty-five (33.1%) were familial clusters. The median incubation period was 6 days (IQR: 4-11 days). All children had an exact exposure history, family members with COVID-19, and "Mild/Moderate" symptoms at admission. Among the 64 elderly patients, 14 (21.9%) had no exposure history, and 43 (67.2%) had a chronic illness. All 11 (8.1%) "Severe/very severe" illness at onset cases and 5 (3.7%) fatal cases were elderly patients. The duration from symptom onset to admission was positively correlated with the duration from symptom onset to endpoint. Overall, patients with a longer incubation period had more severe outcomes. Conclusion: As high-risk susceptible groups, strong protection should be implemented for children and the elderly. Universal screening should be performed for people with a clear exposure history, even lacking apparent symptoms. Given the rapid progression of COVID-19, people should be admitted quickly following symptom onset.