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Article

High Probability of Long Diagnostic Delay in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Cases with Unknown Transmission Route in Japan

1
Tsuchiura Public Health Center of Ibaraki Prefectural Government, Tsuchiura 300-0812, Japan
2
Fujiidera Public Health Center of Osaka Prefectural Government, Fujiidera 583-0024, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(22), 8655; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228655
Received: 6 October 2020 / Revised: 10 November 2020 / Accepted: 19 November 2020 / Published: 21 November 2020
Long diagnostic delays (LDDs) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might decrease the effectiveness of patient isolation in reducing subsequent transmission. We assumed that direction of government considerably increased probability of LDD among COVID-19 cases with unknown exposure in Japan. This study aimed to investigate association of route of case detection and proportion of LDD of COVID-19 in Japan. We included confirmed COVID-19 patients with symptom onset between the ninth and eleventh week in 2020, in 6 prefectures of Japan. LDD was defined as the duration between COVID-19 symptom onset and confirmation ≥6 days. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to elucidate factors associated with LDD. The mean diagnostic delay for 364 cases was 6.3 days. Proportion of LDD was 38% for cases with known exposure, and 65% for cases with unknown exposure. The probability of LDD in cases with unknown exposure was significantly higher than that for known exposure cases (adjusted odds ratio: 2.38, 95% confidence interval: 1.354–4.21). Early PCR test after symptom onset, strengthening of PCR test capacity, and investigations to study impact of high proportion of LDD in cases without known exposure might be necessary. View Full-Text
Keywords: COVID-19; diagnostic delay; transmission route; unknown exposure; Japan COVID-19; diagnostic delay; transmission route; unknown exposure; Japan
MDPI and ACS Style

Ogata, T.; Tanaka, H. High Probability of Long Diagnostic Delay in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Cases with Unknown Transmission Route in Japan. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 8655. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228655

AMA Style

Ogata T, Tanaka H. High Probability of Long Diagnostic Delay in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Cases with Unknown Transmission Route in Japan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(22):8655. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228655

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ogata, Tsuyoshi, and Hideo Tanaka. 2020. "High Probability of Long Diagnostic Delay in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Cases with Unknown Transmission Route in Japan" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 22: 8655. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228655

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