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COVID-19 Cluster among 2020 Matric Rage Festival Attendees, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, November–December 2020
International Journal of Infectious Diseases ; 116:S22-S23, 2022.
Article in English | Academic Search Complete | ID: covidwho-1719980
ABSTRACT
South Africa moved to lockdown alert Level-1 on 20 September 2020 midnight, lockdown regulations were relaxed, gatherings were permitted with the number of people not exceeding 50% of normal venue capacity. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases was alerted by a clinician of a number of COVID-19 cases amongst young people who reportedly have attended the 2020 Matric Rage Festival, KwaZulu-Natal Province. This prompted an investigation to ascertain the existence of a COVID-19 cluster related to attendance of Rage Festival (Rage) and provide epidemiological characteristics of the cluster. We conducted a retrospective cohort investigation amongst 2 253 attendees. A cluster was defined as the identification/presence of ≥two laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases amongst individuals who attended the Rage between 27 November to 4 December 2020. COVID-19 confirmed cases were identified using the organizers ticket purchaser and crew record list and the national COVID-19 laboratory confirmed cases line-list. A standardized questionnaire was circulated to 1814 attendees using Google Forms. A case was defined as any person within the cohort with SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive results. Of the 2 253 attendees, 848 (37.6%) cases were identified, of which 846 (99.8%) were revelers and two were crew members (0.2%). Age ranged from 16 to 58 years (Median 18, IQR 18-18). The 15-19-year-old age group accounted for 802 (94.6%) of the cases, while 53.0% (425/802) were males. Most cases were from Gauteng (66.2%,561/848), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (30.0%, 254/848). Two of the attendees had positive SARS-CoV-2 results approximately 7-10 days before the festival. The questionnaire response rate was 1.0% (19/1814). Revelers attended other large events and private parties and mask wearing and social distancing was not always practiced. Although organizers observed COVID-19 precautions and protocols;social distancing and mask wearing were compromised. Factors such as mass gathering without using appropriate personal protective equipment, crowded spaces, poor hygiene and ventilation may have produced a conducive environment for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The study limitations included delayed questionnaire circulation, lack of contact tracing data to determine secondary attack rate, and lack of clinical information amongst cases. Non-pharmaceutical interventions are effective recommended prevention and control measures. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Journal of Infectious Diseases is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: Academic Search Complete Language: English Journal: International Journal of Infectious Diseases Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: Academic Search Complete Language: English Journal: International Journal of Infectious Diseases Year: 2022 Document Type: Article