PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.16, April 15, 2021 Article TypeCOVID-19 Special ReportEpidemiology and Surveillance

• COVID-19 Special Report 2021-04-15

  0 598 124

  COVID-19 Variant Surveillance in the Republic of Korea

  Il-Hwan Kim, Ae Kyung Park, Jeong-Min Kim, Heui Man Kim, Nam-Joo Lee, SangHee Woo, Chae young Lee, Jaehee Lee, JeeEun Rhee, Eun-Jin Kim

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(16): 922-929

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) variants originating from the United Kingdom (UK), South Africa, and Brazil have recently spread throughout the world, and these variants are known to be different from non-variants in their transmissibility and immune effect. Accordingly, the World Health Organization has recommended public health measures for variants and proposed working definitions of variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs).
  The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has been regularly monitoring the genotype and mutations of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, through whole-genome sequencing analysis from the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in the Republic of Korea on January 20, 2020 to the present. As a result, 162 cases of VOCs originating from the UK (138), South Africa (18), and Brazil (6) and 61 cases of VOIs originating from California, USA (55), New York, USA (3) and the UK/Nigeria (3) were identified early, and the genomic information of the variants confirmed through surveillance were shared with the GISAID database for international collaboration. To cope with the continuing spread of COVID-19 variants, the KDCA is continuing to strengthen its surveillance system by expanding its analytical capacity. This report was intended to help establish countermeasures to prevent the spread of variants by providing information on the characteristics of variants occurring in the Republic of Korea and internationally, and by reporting the results of domestic surveillance.

• COVID-19 Special Report 2021-04-15

  0 474 109

  Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 variants of concern in the Republic of Korea

  Jia Kim, Jung Yeon Kim, Jin Gwack

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(16): 930-935

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  From January 20, 2020 to March 1, 2021, a total of 90,029 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged after the first confirmed case was reported in Korea. In total, 162 patients with variants of concern (VOCs) have been confirmed since the first case of a VOC was confirmed in Korea in December 2020. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and share the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of VOC patients in Korea, as well as to offer suggestions on how to respond to VOCs, which can affect transmissibility and severity.
  The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 162 VOC cases in Korea were analyzed using initial and in-depth epidemiological investigation results reported through the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) COVID-19 information management system for managing confirmed patients (HIRAe).
  The 162 VOC cases were divided into 3 groups: 501Y.V1, 501Y.V2 and 501Y.V3. There were 127 imported cases (78.4%) and 35 locally acquired cases (21.6%), and 106 male cases (65.4%) and 56 female cases (34.6%). The patients’ average age was 36.4 years. People aged 30 to 39 accounted for 25.9% of cases. The majority of cases (105; 64.8%) were Korean nationals, and 100 cases (61.7%) were symptomatic at diagnosis. Thirty-seven cases (22.8%) involved mild respiratory symptoms without fever, and 27 (16.7%) had mild respiratory symptoms with fever. Most symptoms of VOC patients in Korea were mild, but 5 patients with the 501Y.V1 variant (the variant originating from the United Kingdom) were severe/critical (including 1 death). The rate of severe/critical symptoms was 3.09%, and the fatality rate was 0.6%.
  However, since research on VOCs is continuing worldwide and the number of VOCs detected in Korea is increasing, it is important to establish a strategy for managing patients with variants through ongoing monitoring and analysis.

• COVID-19 Special Report 2021-04-15

  0 418 131

  Cases of outbreaks caused by COVID-19 variants in the Republic of Korea

  Eun-Young Kim, Shin Young Park, Seon-Young Lee, Jeong-Hee Yu, Hyunju Lee, Boyeong Ryu, Se-Jin Jeong, Mi Gyeong Ji, Na-young Kim, Junghee Hyun, Miyoung Kim, Youngman Kim, YoungJoonPark

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(16): 936-942

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  In December 2020, the UK variant of concern (VOC) of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was first identified in an international traveler entering South Korea. Thereafter, 162 cases of VOCs occurred and 5 cases of VOCs in cluster outbreaks were confirmed as of March 1, 2021. Detailed epidemiological investigations were conducted for 3 outbreaks. The purpose of this report was to describe the transmission pathways and epidemiological relationships between groups, and to present the results of contact follow-up management. On the basis of this report, it is recommended to respond proactively to the occurrence of confirmed patients in groups with a high risk of having VOCs and to establish measures to prevent spread in the local community.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-04-15

  0 445 146

  Current Status of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in the Republic of Korea

  Cho Kyung Sook

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(16): 943-951

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) kills approximately 3.2 million people a year worldwide and accounts for approximately 5% of all deaths. The global prevalence of COPD is approximately 12%. Smoking is a leading cause of COPD deaths and nearly 8 out of 10 COPD deaths are a result of smoking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of COPD with the aim of identifying mortality, prevalence, and management strategies in the Republic of Korea (ROK). This study analyzed data from Statistics Korea, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s (KDCA) national health statistics, Korea’s Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Findings indicated that, in 2019, the prevalence of COPD was 10.8% and the rate among men (16.3%) was higher than that of women (5.9%). The prevalence of COPD declined steadily from 2007 to 2019 and the rate of decrease was 28% among men, compared to 37% among women. The rate of previously diagnosed cases among COPD cases was extremely low (2.5%), compared to other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as high blood pressure (71.4%), diabetes (65.2%) and hypercholesterolemia (61.7%). However, the proportion of treatment among people with COPD (84.5%) was higher than that of people with high blood pressure (67.1%), diabetes (60.8%) and hypercholesterolemia (53.1%). This study suggested that policy makers focus their efforts on strategies for early diagnosis of COPD, such as smoking cessation and early detection for men’ smokers aged 40 years and over in the ROK.