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Detecting Disease Transmission: Comparing SARS-CoV-2 Cases in a County Jail and the Surrounding Community
John Will1, Shelley Aggarwal2,3, Iryna Kalish1
1Custody Health Services, Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System, San Jose, California, USA.
Summary
Jail admission testing for SARS-CoV-2 can help detect community spread. Early identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 cases in jails correlates with local county incidence.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Surveillance
Background:
- Early detection of infectious disease transmission is crucial for public health.
- Jail settings can be vulnerable to rapid disease spread.
- Monitoring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in correctional facilities offers insights into community transmission dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 cases identified within 14 days of jail admission and local county incidence.
- To determine if jail admission testing data can serve as an early indicator of community disease transmission.
Main Methods:
- Data extraction from electronic health records and public health websites.
- Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 cases in the Santa Clara County (SCC) jail (within 14 days of admission) with overall SCC cases.
- Statistical analysis to assess the correlation between jail admission cases and weekly county case counts.
Main Results:
- A strong, positive correlation (r = 0.785) was observed between SARS-CoV-2 cases identified within 14 days of jail admission and SCC cases reported the following week.
- The study analyzed 250 SARS-CoV-2 positive cases from SCC jail admissions against 141,841 total SCC cases.
Conclusions:
- SARS-CoV-2 testing data from jail admissions can be a valuable tool for early detection of disease transmission in the surrounding community.
- This approach may enhance public health surveillance by providing timely information on community-level viral spread.
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