Epidemiological investigation on a cluster epidemic of COVID-19 in a collective workplace in Tianjin

• Published in: Zhōnghuá liúxíngbìng zázhì Vol. 41; no. 5; p. 648
• Main Authors: Zhang, Y, Su, X, Chen, W, Fei, C N, Guo, L R, Wu, X L, Zhou, N, Guo, Y T, Dong, X C, Zhao, Y, Wang, H W, Pan, Y, Zuo, L J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 10-05-2020
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; China - epidemiology; Cluster Analysis; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; COVID-19; Epidemics; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Workplace; China; COVID-19; Epidemiological investigation; Cluster epidemic
• ISSN: 0254-6450
• DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112338-20200219-00121

To investigate and analysis the epidemiological characteristics of a cluster epidemic of COIVD-19 in a collective workplace in Tianjin, evduate the prevention and control measures based on limited evidence and experience in early period of COVID-19 epidemic.
Descriptive research method was used to describe the distribution and other epidemiological characteristics of the cluster cases of COVID-19.
Since the onset of the first index case on January 15, ten confirmed COVID-19 cases had occurred in the workplace, and the epidemic had spread from the workplace to 4 families, infecting 7 family members. The median age of 17 cases was 55 (19-79) years. All the 10 employee cases were males, and in the family cases, 3 were males and 4 were females. Of the employee cases, 8 worked in CW workshop and 2 worked in administrative office building. The median exposure-onset interval of all the cases was 4 days, and the median exposure-onset interval was 4.5 days in the employee cases and 4 days in the family cases. The median onset-medical care seeking interval was 4 days in the non-isolated cases, 2.5 days in the cases with home isolation after onset, and 0.5 day in the cases with home isolation before onset.
The clustering of COVID-19 cases was observed in this workplace in Tianjin, which affected 4 families. In the early stage of the epidemic, accurate and rapid blocking and control measures can completely prevent the large-scale spread of COVID-19.