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The Delay in Confirming COVID-19 Cases Linked to a Religious Group in Korea
Hyung-Ju Kim1, Hyun-Seong Hwang1, Yong-Hyuk Choi1
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
Insights
A delay in confirming coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among Shincheonji members likely fueled its spread. This study highlights the importance of timely diagnosis in religious group outbreaks.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Outbreaks
Background:
- The Shincheonji religious group was linked to a significant proportion of early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Korea.
- The specific factors driving the widespread transmission within this group were not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the timeline between symptom onset and diagnosis for COVID-19 cases associated with the Shincheonji religious group.
- To understand the potential role of diagnostic delays in the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 within this population.
Main Methods:
- Data were collected from laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to the Shincheonji group.
- Information was sourced from public health press releases and news reports.
- The time interval from symptom onset to COVID-19 confirmation was calculated.
Main Results:
- Analysis included 59 confirmed cases, with a median age of 30 years.
- The median duration from symptom onset to COVID-19 confirmation was 4 days.
- The 95% confidence interval for this delay was 1 to 12 days.
Conclusions:
- A notable delay exists between symptom onset and COVID-19 confirmation in Shincheonji-linked cases.
- This diagnostic delay is a probable contributing factor to the extensive community transmission observed within the group.
- Timely diagnosis is crucial for controlling outbreaks in densely connected populations.
Objectives:
As of March 3, 2020, the Shincheonji religious group accounted for the majority of Korean cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Nonetheless, the most likely cause of the broad spread of COVID-19 among members of the Shincheonji religious group remains largely unknown.
Methods:
We obtained data of laboratory-confirmed cases related to the Shincheonji religious group from press releases by Korean public health authorities and news reports. We measured the period from the date of illness onset to the date of COVID-19 confirmation.
Results:
We analysed data from 59 cases (median age, 30 years). The estimated median period between the date of symptom onset and the date of COVID-19 confirmation was 4 days (95% confidence interval, 1-12).
Conclusions:
There was a delay in COVID-19 confirmation from the date of illness onset among the cases linked to the Shincheonji religious group. This delay likely contributed to the occurrence of many cases of COVID-19 in the group.
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