TY - JOUR
T1 - Epidemiology and Clinical Course of First Wave Coronavirus Disease Cases
T2 - Faroe Islands
AU - Kristiansen, Marnar Fríðheim
AU - Heimustovu, Bodil H.
AU - Borg, Sanna á
AU - Mohr, Tróndur H.
AU - Gislason, Hannis
AU - Moller, Lars Fodgaard
AU - Christiansen, Debes Hammershaimb
AU - Steig, Bjarni á
AU - Petersen, Maria Skaalum
AU - Strom, Marin
AU - Gaini, Shahin
PY - 2021/3/1
Y1 - 2021/3/1
N2 - The Faroe Islands was one of the first countries in the Western Hemisphere to eliminate coronavirus disease (COVID-19). During the first epidemic wave in the country, 187 cases were reported between March 3 and April 22, 2020. Large-scale testing and thorough contact tracing were implemented early on, along with lockdown measures. Transmission chains were mapped through patient history and knowledge of contact with prior cases. The most common reported COVID-19 symptoms were fever, headache, and cough, but 11.2% of cases were asymptomatic. Among 187 cases, 8 patients were admitted to hospitals but none were admitted to intensive care units and no deaths occurred. Superspreading was evident during the epidemic because most secondary cases were attributed to just 3 infectors. Even with the high incidence rate in early March, the Faroe Islands successfully eliminated the first wave of COVID-19 through the early use of contact tracing, quarantine, social distancing, and large-scale testing.
AB - The Faroe Islands was one of the first countries in the Western Hemisphere to eliminate coronavirus disease (COVID-19). During the first epidemic wave in the country, 187 cases were reported between March 3 and April 22, 2020. Large-scale testing and thorough contact tracing were implemented early on, along with lockdown measures. Transmission chains were mapped through patient history and knowledge of contact with prior cases. The most common reported COVID-19 symptoms were fever, headache, and cough, but 11.2% of cases were asymptomatic. Among 187 cases, 8 patients were admitted to hospitals but none were admitted to intensive care units and no deaths occurred. Superspreading was evident during the epidemic because most secondary cases were attributed to just 3 infectors. Even with the high incidence rate in early March, the Faroe Islands successfully eliminated the first wave of COVID-19 through the early use of contact tracing, quarantine, social distancing, and large-scale testing.
KW - COVID-19
KW - coronavirus
KW - Faroe Islands
UR - https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2703.202589
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/ede51288-b03f-367e-92e5-d5c95fedf480/
U2 - 10.3201/eid2703.202589
DO - 10.3201/eid2703.202589
M3 - Article
C2 - 33513332
VL - 27
SP - 749
EP - 758
JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases
JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases
SN - 1080-6040
IS - 3
ER -