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SARS-CoV-2 in migrant worker dormitories: Geospatial epidemiology supporting outbreak management
Alexander W Gorny1, Natasha Bagdasarian2, Azriel Hong Kiat Koh3
1Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore.
Summary
SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly in migrant worker dormitories, with cases doubling every 1.56 days in barracks-style housing. Building design significantly impacts transmission, highlighting the need for architectural considerations in future outbreak prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Transmission
Background:
- Migrant worker dormitories in Singapore were major sites for SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks.
- Over 60,000 workers in six dormitories were studied during an outbreak period.
- Containment measures were implemented, including confinement to dormitories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in high-density migrant worker housing.
- To analyze epidemiological data from dormitories during the initial phase of outbreak management.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive epidemiological study analyzing data from April 3 to June 10, 2020.
- Calculation of doubling times for SARS-CoV-2 cases using harmonic means.
- Utilized geospatial heat maps to visualize outbreak severity.
Main Results:
- Identified multiple transmission peaks with over 5467 cases across six dormitories.
- SARS-CoV-2 cases doubled every 1.56 days in barracks-style dorms (95% CI 1.29-1.96).
- Apartment-style dorms showed a slower doubling time of 2.65 days (95% CI 2.01-3.87).
Conclusions:
- Geospatial epidemiology effectively guided outbreak management strategies.
- Dormitory building design is a critical factor influencing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
- Architectural design should be a key consideration for preventing future outbreaks in similar settings.
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