COVID-19 Literature Situation Report July 14, 2020

• [Pre-print, not peer reviewed] An observational study of shoppers (n=5,517) entering 36 different grocery and retail locations across southeastern Wisconsin (June 3-9, 2020) found that the likelihood of an individual wearing a mask was associated with older age, being female, and shopping in an urban location. Fewer than 50% of individuals observed were wearing a mask.  

Haischer et al. (July 14, 2020). Who Is Wearing a Mask Gender- Age- and Location-Related Differences during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pre-print downloaded July 14 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.13.20152736 

• Two internet surveys administered in April and May of representative US samples found that following the announcement of the behavioral recommendation of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and CDC to wear a cloth face covering in public, higher prevalence of face covering use was reported among all sociodemographic groups, especially among non-Hispanic white persons, persons aged ≥65 years, and persons residing in the Midwest. 

Fisher et al. (July 14, 2020). Factors Associated with Cloth Face Covering Use Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, April and May 2020. MMWR. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6928e3  

• Nationwide surveillance in Taiwan indicates that measures intended to control COVID-19 may have also resulted in decreases in influenza diagnoses in outpatient departments, positivity rates in clinical specimens, and confirmed severe cases during the first 12 weeks of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019. Healthcare avoidance during the COVID-19 pandemic may be an important confounder. 

Kuo et al. (Apr 27, 2020). Collateral Benefit of COVID-19 Control Measures on Influenza Activity, Taiwan. Emerging Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2608.201192 

• A contact investigation of a COVID-19 outbreak involving 11 confirmed cases and 10 suspected cases among Chinese tour groups traveling in Europe in late January 2020 suggests that transmission may have occurred on outbound and inbound flights and in shopping venues in Europe. Initial transmission occurred in family groups and later transmission within and across tour groups. 

Kong et al. (July 13, 2020). Clusters of 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID‐19) Cases in Chinese Tour Groups. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13729 

• In a hair salon in Missouri, no symptomatic secondary cases were reported among 139 clients exposed to two hair stylists who were symptomatic with COVID-19 while both stylists and clients wore face masks. All tests were negative among 67 clients that were tested for SARS-CoV-2. All 4 cohabitants of one of the stylists later developed COVID-19 symptoms and had positive PCR test results. 

Hendrix et al. (July 14, 2020). Absence of Apparent Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from Two Stylists After Exposure at a Hair Salon with a Universal Face Covering Policy — Springfield, Missouri, May 2020. MMWR. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6928e2 

• Among 11 Maryland long-term care facilities, universal testing detected 354 additional cases (40% of those tested) in addition to 153 cases previously identified via targeted symptom-based testing. Fifty-five percent of persons who tested positive were asymptomatic. Follow-up screening after 2-weeks identified an additional 117 SARS-CoV-2 cases, 87% of whom were asymptomatic. Follow-up screening after 2 weeks identified an additional 117 SARS-CoV-2 cases, 87% of whom were asymptomatic. The authors conclude that these findings suggest a potential benefit of more widespread testing in COVID-19 “hot spots.” 

Bigelow et al. (July 14, 2020). Outcomes of Universal COVID-19 Testing Following Detection of Incident Cases in 11 Long-Term Care Facilities. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.3738 

• Results from a retrospective observational study (n=131) across three hospitals in Zhejiang, China suggest that critically ill COVID-19 patients suffered earlier occurrence, greater injury severity, and slower recovery from liver injury compared to non-critically ill patients. The combination treatment of lopinavir/ritonavir and arbidol was associated with higher risk or liver injury among non-critically ill patients (OR=3.58, 95%CI: 1.44-9.52). 

Jiang et al. (June 23, 2020). Liver Injury in Critically Ill and Non-Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Multicenter, Retrospective, Observational Study. Frontiers in Medicine. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.00347 

• A meta-analysis of 26 studies (n=5,497) showed that acute kidney injury is present in 8% of COVID-19 patients overall and 20% of critically ill patients with COVID-19. Renal replacement therapy was estimated to occur in 4% of cases in the study populations. Acute kidney injury is associated with a 13-fold increased risk of mortality. 

Hansrivijit et al. (July 12, 2020). Incidence of Acute Kidney Injury and Its Association with Mortality in Patients with COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Investigative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/jim-2020-001407 

• Anticipating disparate COVID-19 outcomes among immigrant communities, particularly in Texas, Clark et al. advocate policy recommendations such as Medicaid expansion, funding for testing and treatment for uninsured individuals regardless of immigration status, and prohibiting ICE operations near health facilities. 

Clark et al. (July 13, 2020). Disproportionate Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Immigrant Communities in the United States. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008484 

• A case series of individuals co–infected with HIV and SARS-CoV-2 (n=27) from a Rhode Island hospital suggests that clinical presentations and outcomes are similar to persons without HIV.  

Byrd et al. (July 13, 2020). SARS‐CoV‐2 and HIV Coinfection: Clinical Experience from Rhode Island, United States. Journal of the International AIDS Society. https://doi.org/10.1002/jia2.25573 

• [Pre-print, not peer reviewed] Comparing mortality among users of a large mental health service provider in south London during March 2020 and March 2019, Stewart et al. found a 3.3-fold excess mortality in March 2020 compared to March 2019 for Black African/Caribbean patients, compared to a ratio of 2.5 for both South Asian and white patients. 

Stewart et al. (July 14, 2020). Excess Mortality in Mental Health Service Users during the COVID-19 Pandemic Described by Ethnic Group South London and Maudsley Data. Pre-print downloaded July 14 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.13.20152710 

• A contact investigation for an early confirmed COVID-19 case from Washington State identified 50 contacts, none of whom had evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection through 6 weeks of follow-up. All contacts were monitored daily for 14 days following exposure. Eight developed symptoms but tested negative via rRT-PCR. Thirty-eight contacts underwent voluntary enhanced contact investigation, revealing varying degrees of unprotected face-to-face interactions with the case-patient. Negative rRT-PCR and serologic follow–up collected approximately 6 weeks post exposure suggest no evidence of secondary transmission. 

Chu et al. (May 29, 2020). Investigation and Serologic Follow-Up of Contacts of Early Confirmed Case-Patient with COVID-19, United States. Emerging Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2608.201423  

• Chen et al. have developed an e-Outbreak Platform that provides a questionnaire for outbreak investigation that features disease-specific questionnaires, various types of input, and functions to utilize stored information such as report generation and knowledge graphs. 

Chen et al. (June 20, 2020). Development of a Semi-Structured, Multifaceted, Computer-Aided Questionnaire for Outbreak Investigation: E-Outbreak Platform. Biomedical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2020.06.007