Epidemiological investigation of the first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019（COVID-19）in Zhejiang Province / 预防医学

ABSTRACT

Objective@# To conduct an epidemiological investigation on the first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19） in Zhejiang Province, so as to provide reference for prevention and control of the disease.@*Methods @#According to the COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Program （Trial） and the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Program （Trial） issued by National Health Commission of China, a field investigation was employed on a case of fever from Wuhan reported by Wenzhou in January 15, 2020; the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） assay was performed to detect the nucleic acid of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 （SARS-CoV-2） from the sputum specimens or throat swabs of the case; the close contacts of the case were tracked down; relevant prevention and control measures were implemented. @*Results @#The case had lived in Wuhan for long. On January 4 of 2020, he felt cold and uncomfortable without obvious inducement, and drove back to Wenzhou with his wife. He had fever （up to 39 ℃）, cough and expectoration on the next day. On January 9, the chest computed tomographic （CT） scan showed bilateral high-density patchy shadowing with blurred edges. On January 16, his throat swab and sputum samples were collected and sent to Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention （CDC） for detection of SARS-CoV-2. The result turned out to be positive on January 17, then was rechecked and confirmed by Chinese CDC on January 20. Two weeks before the onset of the disease, the patient was engaged in the door-to-door persuasion of installing elevators in an old residential area of Wuhan, and he denied any connection with other COVID-19 cases,markets,（sick or dead） poultry or poultry products. Totally 26 close contacts were identified and kept in quarantine. During this period,three of them developed fever or respiratory symptoms, but were excluded from COVID-19. On the afternoon of January 16,the health system of Zhejiang Province and Wenzhou City launched an emergency plan and implemented a series of prevention and control measures such as isolation and treatment of cases,screening and isolation of close contacts,and public health education. @*Conclusion @#According to the epidemiological history,clinical features and laboratory test Results,the patient was identified as the first reported case of COVID-19 in Zhejiang Province.