Epidemiological features of COVID-19 patients with prolonged incubation period and its implications for controlling the epidemics in China.
BMC Public Health
; 21(1): 2239, 2021 12 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1566517
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
COVID-19 patients with long incubation period were reported in clinical practice and tracing of close contacts, but their epidemiological or clinical features remained vague.METHODS:
We analyzed 11,425 COVID-19 cases reported between January-August, 2020 in China. The accelerated failure time model, Logistic and modified Poisson regression models were used to investigate the determinants of prolonged incubation period, as well as their association with clinical severity and transmissibility, respectively.RESULT:
Among local cases, 268 (10.2%) had a prolonged incubation period of > 14 days, which was more frequently seen among elderly patients, those residing in South China, with disease onset after Level I response measures administration, or being exposed in public places. Patients with prolonged incubation period had lower risk of severe illness (ORadjusted = 0.386, 95% CI 0.203-0.677). A reduced transmissibility was observed for the primary patients with prolonged incubation period (50.4, 95% CI 32.3-78.6%) than those with an incubation period of ≤14 days.CONCLUSIONS:
The study provides evidence supporting a prolonged incubation period that exceeded 2 weeks in over 10% for COVID-19. Longer monitoring periods than 14 days for quarantine or persons potentially exposed to SARS-CoV-2 should be justified in extreme cases, especially for those elderly.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Infectious Disease Incubation Period
/
Epidemics
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
BMC Public Health
Journal subject:
Public Health
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS