tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
JMIR Public Health Surveill
. 2021 Nov 16.
doi: 10.2196/30006. Online ahead of print.
Persons with SARS-CoV-2 during the First and Second Waves in Catalonia (Spain): A Retrospective Observational Study Using Daily Updated Data
Lia Alves-Cabratosa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marc Comas-Cufí[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jordi Blanch[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ruth Martí-Lluch[SUP] 2 1 [/SUP], Anna Ponjoan[SUP] 2 1 [/SUP], Antoni Castro-Guardiola[SUP] 3 2 4 [/SUP], Abelardo Hurtado-Ganoza[SUP] 3 2 [/SUP], Ana Pérez-Jaén[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Maria Rexach-Fumaña[SUP] 3 2 [/SUP], Delfi Faixedas-Brunsoms[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], Maria Angels Gispert-Ametller[SUP] 7 4 [/SUP], Anna Guell-Cargol[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Maria Rodriguez-Batista[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Ferran Santaularia-Font[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Ramon Orriols[SUP] 8 9 2 4 10 [/SUP], Marc Bonnin-Vilaplana[SUP] 8 9 2 4 [/SUP], Juan Carlos Calderón López[SUP] 8 9 2 4 [/SUP], Gladis Sabater-Talaverano[SUP] 8 9 2 4 [/SUP], Francesc Xavier Queralt Moles[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Sara Rodriguez-Requejo[SUP] 12 13 [/SUP], Esteve Avellana-Revuelta[SUP] 12 13 [/SUP], Elisabet Balló[SUP] 12 4 [/SUP], Ester Fages-Masmiquel[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Josep-Maria Sirvent[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Carol Lorencio[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Josep Miquel Morales-Pedrosa[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Patricia Ortiz-Ballujera[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Rafel Ramos[SUP] 1 2 12 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Description of persons with infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) comparing the first and second waves could help adapt the health services to manage this highly transmissible disease.
Objective: We aimed to describe the epidemiology of persons with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the characteristics of patients with a positive test comparing first and second waves in Catalonia, Spain.
Methods: This study had two stages. First, we analysed daily updated data on SARS-CoV-2 infection of persons from Girona (Catalonia); second, we compared two retrospective cohorts of patients with a positive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigenic test for SARS-CoV-2. Severity of patients with a positive test was defined by their admission to hospital; intermediate respiratory care; intensive care; or by decease. The first wave was from 01/03/2020 to 24/06/2020, and the second from 25/06/2020 to 08/12/2020.
Results: The number of tests and cases was lower in the first wave: 26,096 tests and 3140 cases in the first wave versus 140,332 tests and 11,800 cases in the second; but the percentage of positive results was higher in the first wave, 12.0%, than in the second, 8.4%. Of persons with a positive diagnostic test, 818 needed hospitalisation in the first wave and 680 in the second; however, the percentage of hospitalised persons was higher in the first wave, 26.1%, than in the second, 5.8%. The group that was not admitted to hospital included older persons and with higher percentage of comorbidities in the first wave, whereas the characteristics of the groups admitted to hospital were more alike.
Conclusions: A higher percentage of persons with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 infection was found in the first wave, despite being a less numerous group, likely due to improvement in the surveillance systems during the second wave. The characteristics of persons with the infection in the first and second waves differed substantially; persons in the first wave were older and in worse health condition.
. 2021 Nov 16.
doi: 10.2196/30006. Online ahead of print.
Persons with SARS-CoV-2 during the First and Second Waves in Catalonia (Spain): A Retrospective Observational Study Using Daily Updated Data
Lia Alves-Cabratosa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marc Comas-Cufí[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jordi Blanch[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ruth Martí-Lluch[SUP] 2 1 [/SUP], Anna Ponjoan[SUP] 2 1 [/SUP], Antoni Castro-Guardiola[SUP] 3 2 4 [/SUP], Abelardo Hurtado-Ganoza[SUP] 3 2 [/SUP], Ana Pérez-Jaén[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Maria Rexach-Fumaña[SUP] 3 2 [/SUP], Delfi Faixedas-Brunsoms[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], Maria Angels Gispert-Ametller[SUP] 7 4 [/SUP], Anna Guell-Cargol[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Maria Rodriguez-Batista[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Ferran Santaularia-Font[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Ramon Orriols[SUP] 8 9 2 4 10 [/SUP], Marc Bonnin-Vilaplana[SUP] 8 9 2 4 [/SUP], Juan Carlos Calderón López[SUP] 8 9 2 4 [/SUP], Gladis Sabater-Talaverano[SUP] 8 9 2 4 [/SUP], Francesc Xavier Queralt Moles[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Sara Rodriguez-Requejo[SUP] 12 13 [/SUP], Esteve Avellana-Revuelta[SUP] 12 13 [/SUP], Elisabet Balló[SUP] 12 4 [/SUP], Ester Fages-Masmiquel[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Josep-Maria Sirvent[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Carol Lorencio[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Josep Miquel Morales-Pedrosa[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Patricia Ortiz-Ballujera[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Rafel Ramos[SUP] 1 2 12 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34797774
- DOI: 10.2196/30006
Abstract
Background: Description of persons with infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) comparing the first and second waves could help adapt the health services to manage this highly transmissible disease.
Objective: We aimed to describe the epidemiology of persons with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the characteristics of patients with a positive test comparing first and second waves in Catalonia, Spain.
Methods: This study had two stages. First, we analysed daily updated data on SARS-CoV-2 infection of persons from Girona (Catalonia); second, we compared two retrospective cohorts of patients with a positive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigenic test for SARS-CoV-2. Severity of patients with a positive test was defined by their admission to hospital; intermediate respiratory care; intensive care; or by decease. The first wave was from 01/03/2020 to 24/06/2020, and the second from 25/06/2020 to 08/12/2020.
Results: The number of tests and cases was lower in the first wave: 26,096 tests and 3140 cases in the first wave versus 140,332 tests and 11,800 cases in the second; but the percentage of positive results was higher in the first wave, 12.0%, than in the second, 8.4%. Of persons with a positive diagnostic test, 818 needed hospitalisation in the first wave and 680 in the second; however, the percentage of hospitalised persons was higher in the first wave, 26.1%, than in the second, 5.8%. The group that was not admitted to hospital included older persons and with higher percentage of comorbidities in the first wave, whereas the characteristics of the groups admitted to hospital were more alike.
Conclusions: A higher percentage of persons with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 infection was found in the first wave, despite being a less numerous group, likely due to improvement in the surveillance systems during the second wave. The characteristics of persons with the infection in the first and second waves differed substantially; persons in the first wave were older and in worse health condition.