Nat Commun: Characterizing nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 using epidemiological and viral genomic data

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has caused outbreaks in multiple hospitals, exposing healthcare workers and non-COVID-19 patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection

SARS-CoV-2 has caused outbreaks in multiple hospitals, exposing healthcare workers and non-COVID-19 patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection

First, the high variability of viral incubation periods means that it is often difficult to determine whether hospital-onset cases are community-acquired or nosocomial

In this study, we reconstructed the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in a large UK NHS teaching hospital trust during the first two waves in the UK

Methods: We characterized intra-hospital transmission by using a Bayesian model combining viral genomic and epidemiological data from 2181 patients and healthcare workers at a large UK NHS trust

Figure 1 SARS-CoV-2-positive staff and health care samples included in the study

Figure 1 SARS-CoV-2-positive staff and health care samples included in the study

Figure 2 Chains of transmission within hospitals and estimated infections between patients and healthcare workers

Figure 2 Chains of transmission within hospitals and estimated infections between patients and healthcare workers

Figure 3 The location of the hospital that caused the transmission event

Figure 3 The location of the hospital that caused the transmission event

Figure 4 Secondary case distribution and subsequent infection by category of hospital-onset COVID19 infection

Figure 4 Secondary case distribution and subsequent infection by category of hospital-onset COVID19 infection

Since hospital-acquired cases drive most of the transmission, earlier identification of nosocomial cases is needed to break the chain of hospital transmission

Characterising within-hospitalSARS-CoV-2 transmission events using epidemiological and viral genomic data across two pandemic waves