Contact Tracing during Coronavirus Disease Outbreak, South Korea, 2020

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Oct;26(10):2465-2468. doi: 10.3201/eid2610.201315. Epub 2020 Jul 16.

Abstract

We analyzed reports for 59,073 contacts of 5,706 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) index patients reported in South Korea during January 20-March 27, 2020. Of 10,592 household contacts, 11.8% had COVID-19. Of 48,481 nonhousehold contacts, 1.9% had COVID-19. Use of personal protective measures and social distancing reduces the likelihood of transmission.

Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; South Korea; contact tracing; coronavirus disease; pneumonia; respiratory diseases; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Contact Tracing / statistics & numerical data*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Family Characteristics
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Young Adult