Outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the psychiatric ward of a general hospital in Brazil

ABSTRACT Background: An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant was detected in the psychiatric ward of a general hospital in Brasília, Brazil. Methods: We report the investigation, clinical outcomes, viral sequencing, and control measures applied to outbreak containment. Results: The overall attack rate was 95% (23/24) in a period of 13 days. Among the cases, 78% (18/23) were vaccinated and 17% (4/23) required intensive care. The Omicron variant was isolated from the 19 sequenced samples. Conclusions: The findings highlight the potential harm that highly transmissible variants may generate among hospitalized populations, particularly those with comorbidities.

摘要
背景：巴西巴西利亚某综合医院精神科病房暴发严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）奥密克戎变异株感染疫情。
方法：本研究报告了此次疫情的流行病学调查、临床结局、病毒测序结果及用于遏制疫情的各项防控措施。
结果：13天内的总体攻击率达95%（23/24）。病例中78%（18/23）已完成疫苗接种，17%（4/23）需接受重症监护治疗。19份测序样本均检出奥密克戎变异株。
结论：本研究结果凸显了高传播性变异株在住院人群，尤其是合并基础疾病的人群中可能造成的严重危害。