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Suppressing COVID-19 Transmission in Hong Kong: An Observational Study of the First Four Months

55 Pages Posted: 5 Aug 2020

See all articles by Peng Wu

Peng Wu

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Tim K. Tsang

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Jessica Y. Wong

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong,

Tiffany W.Y. Ng

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Faith Ho

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Huizhi Gao

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Dillon C. Adam

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Doug H. Cheung

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Eric H.Y. Lau

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Wey Wen Lim

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Sheikh Taslim Ali

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Dennis K. M. Ip

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Joseph T. Wu

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Benjamin J. Cowling

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Gabriel Leung

The University of Hong Kong - School of Public Health

More...

Abstract

Background: Hong Kong was one of the first locations outside of mainland China to identify COVID-19 cases in January 2020. We assessed the impact of various public health measures on transmission.

Methods: We analysed data on all COVID-19 cases and public health measures in Hong Kong up to 7 May 2020. We described case-based, travel-based and community-based measures and examined their potential effects on case identification and transmission. Changes in transmissibility measured by the effective reproductive number R t were estimated by comparing the R t between periods when public health measures were and were not in effect. Delays in case confirmation in imported cases and locally infected cases were analysed to indicate the possible impact of expansion of laboratory testing capacity.

Findings: Introduction of a 14-day quarantine on persons arriving from affected areas was associated with a 95% reduction in transmissibility from imported cases. Testing all arriving travelers reduced mean delays between arrival and detection of imported cases. Increases in laboratory testing capacity for pneumonia inpatients and symptomatic outpatients reduced the delay from onset to confirmation. Working from home and physical distancing measures implemented in high-risk facilities were associated with 67% and 58% reduction in transmission of COVID-19, respectively.

Interpretation: Suppression of COVID-19 transmission in the first pandemic wave in Hong Kong was achieved through integration of travel-based, case-based and community-based public health measures focusing on early case identification and isolation and physical distancing.

Funding: This project was supported by the Health and Medical Research Fund, Food and Health Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (grant no. COVID190118), and the Theme-based Research Scheme (Project No. T11-712/19-N] of the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Declaration of Interests: BJC consults for Roche and Sanofi Pasteur. The authors report no other potential conflicts of interest.

Ethics Approval Statement: The project was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Hong Kong.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; transmission; intervention; Hong Kong

Suggested Citation

Wu, Peng and Tsang, Tim K. and Wong, Jessica Y. and Ng, Tiffany W.Y. and Ho, Faith and Gao, Huizhi and Adam, Dillon C. and Cheung, Doug H. and Lau, Eric H.Y. and Lim, Wey Wen and Ali, Sheikh Taslim and Ip, Dennis K. M. and Wu, Joseph T. and Cowling, Benjamin J. and Leung, Gabriel, Suppressing COVID-19 Transmission in Hong Kong: An Observational Study of the First Four Months (6/8/2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3627304 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3627304

Peng Wu (Contact Author)

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Tim K. Tsang

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Jessica Y. Wong

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong,

Tiffany W.Y. Ng

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Faith Ho

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Hong Kong
China

Huizhi Gao

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Hong Kong
China

Dillon C. Adam

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Doug H. Cheung

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Eric H.Y. Lau

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Wey Wen Lim

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Sheikh Taslim Ali

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control

Dennis K. M. Ip

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Joseph T. Wu

WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka ShingFaculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Benjamin J. Cowling

The University of Hong Kong - WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control ( email )

7 Sassoon Road
Hong Kong
China
+852 3917 6711 (Phone)

Gabriel Leung

The University of Hong Kong - School of Public Health ( email )

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