COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, Finland
Background shared accommodation may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In April 2020, an increasing number of asylum seekers at a reception centre in Espoo, Finland presented with COVID-19 despite earlier implementation of preventive measures. We decided to screen the entire population of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Migration and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623521000106 |
| _version_ | 1819067097107398656 |
|---|---|
| author | T. Turunen K. Kontunen K. Sugulle P. Hieta O. Snellman I. Hussein T. Dub M. Melin A. Haveri N. Ekström N. Ikonen O. Helve J. Sane |
| author_facet | T. Turunen K. Kontunen K. Sugulle P. Hieta O. Snellman I. Hussein T. Dub M. Melin A. Haveri N. Ekström N. Ikonen O. Helve J. Sane |
| author_sort | T. Turunen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background shared accommodation may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In April 2020, an increasing number of asylum seekers at a reception centre in Espoo, Finland presented with COVID-19 despite earlier implementation of preventive measures. We decided to screen the entire population of the centre for SARS-CoV-2.Methods we offered nasopharyngeal swab collection and SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis to the centre's clients. Symptoms were recorded at the time of diagnostic sample collection using electronic forms and followed up for two weeks through phone interviews and a review of medical records.Findings 260 clients were screened. Of them, 96 (37%) were found positive for SARS-CoV-2 and isolated. The high attack rate prompted the local public health authority to set the other clients in quarantine for 14 days to prevent further spread. Of the positive cases, 61 (64%) reported having had symptoms at the time of the screening or one week prior. Of the 35 initially asymptomatic individuals, 12 developed symptoms during follow-up, while 23 (or 18% of all screened SARS-CoV-2 positive clients) remained asymptomatic. No widespread transmission of COVID-19 was detected after the quarantine was lifted.Interpretation in this large COVID-19 outbreak, voluntary mass screening provided valuable information about its extent and helped guide the public health response. Comprehensive quarantine and isolation measures were likely instrumental in containing the outbreak.Funding Finnish Institution for Health and Welfare, Finnish Immigration Agency, City of Espoo |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:12:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-56d14365520845bd8bcb2cf5eb44e49f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6235 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:12:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Migration and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-56d14365520845bd8bcb2cf5eb44e49f2022-12-21T18:57:46ZengElsevierJournal of Migration and Health2666-62352021-01-013100043COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, FinlandT. Turunen0K. Kontunen1K. Sugulle2P. Hieta3O. Snellman4I. Hussein5T. Dub6M. Melin7A. Haveri8N. Ekström9N. Ikonen10O. Helve11J. Sane12Infectious Disease Unit of Espoo Municipality, Finland; Corresponding author.Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandInfectious Disease Unit of Espoo Municipality, FinlandFinnish Immigration Service, FinlandFinnish Immigration Service, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FinlandBackground shared accommodation may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In April 2020, an increasing number of asylum seekers at a reception centre in Espoo, Finland presented with COVID-19 despite earlier implementation of preventive measures. We decided to screen the entire population of the centre for SARS-CoV-2.Methods we offered nasopharyngeal swab collection and SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis to the centre's clients. Symptoms were recorded at the time of diagnostic sample collection using electronic forms and followed up for two weeks through phone interviews and a review of medical records.Findings 260 clients were screened. Of them, 96 (37%) were found positive for SARS-CoV-2 and isolated. The high attack rate prompted the local public health authority to set the other clients in quarantine for 14 days to prevent further spread. Of the positive cases, 61 (64%) reported having had symptoms at the time of the screening or one week prior. Of the 35 initially asymptomatic individuals, 12 developed symptoms during follow-up, while 23 (or 18% of all screened SARS-CoV-2 positive clients) remained asymptomatic. No widespread transmission of COVID-19 was detected after the quarantine was lifted.Interpretation in this large COVID-19 outbreak, voluntary mass screening provided valuable information about its extent and helped guide the public health response. Comprehensive quarantine and isolation measures were likely instrumental in containing the outbreak.Funding Finnish Institution for Health and Welfare, Finnish Immigration Agency, City of Espoohttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623521000106MigrantRefugeeCOVID-19Reception centreEpidemiologyOutbreak |
| spellingShingle | T. Turunen K. Kontunen K. Sugulle P. Hieta O. Snellman I. Hussein T. Dub M. Melin A. Haveri N. Ekström N. Ikonen O. Helve J. Sane COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, Finland Journal of Migration and Health Migrant Refugee COVID-19 Reception centre Epidemiology Outbreak |
| title | COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, Finland |
| title_full | COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, Finland |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, Finland |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, Finland |
| title_short | COVID-19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in Espoo, Finland |
| title_sort | covid 19 outbreak at a reception centre for asylum seekers in espoo finland |
| topic | Migrant Refugee COVID-19 Reception centre Epidemiology Outbreak |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623521000106 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tturunen covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT kkontunen covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT ksugulle covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT phieta covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT osnellman covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT ihussein covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT tdub covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT mmelin covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT ahaveri covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT nekstrom covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT nikonen covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT ohelve covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland AT jsane covid19outbreakatareceptioncentreforasylumseekersinespoofinland |