The Indian Council of Medical Research’s epidemiological study re-confirms that coronavirus has higher transmission rate among close contacts. India’s premier research body conducted this research on the cluster of 23 Italian tourists who visited India in March 2020.
ICMR found that the attack rate of the virus was higher at 65.4 per cent amongst close contacts of 23 Italian tourist group than that of those at the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship which was 19.2 per cent and in the Grand Princess Cruise Ship, which was 16.6 per cent.
“Our study cluster showed a higher attack rate than that reported in existing literature such as in Diamond Princess Cruise ship (19.2 per cent) and in Grand Princess Cruise ship (16.6 per cent) 13. This may be due to the closed environment, high and persistent exposure to index case during their tour travel (average of six hours daily for eight days),” the study confirmed.
From the group of 23 Italian tourists who reached New Delhi on February 21, along with three Indians who visited several tourist places in Rajasthan, 17 had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection by March 3, 2020.
“Of these 17 patients, nine were symptomatic, while eight did not show any symptoms. Of the nine who developed symptoms, six were mild, one was severe and two were critically ill. The median duration between the day of confirmation for Covid-19 and RT-PCR negativity was 18 days (range: 12-23 days). Two patients died with a case fatality of 11.8 per cent,” the study mentioned.
The index patient, 69-year-old man, a resident of Lombardy Province, Italy and family physician by profession developed fever, cough and difficulty in breathing on February 23. On arriving at Jaipur on February 28, he first saw a private healthcare provider and then visited a private hospital from where he was referred to the SMS Medical College, Jaipur, for Covid-19 test. When he tested positive he was isolated, his wife (70), who did not have any symptoms also tested positive.
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