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Review
. 2021 Nov-Dec:44:102171.
doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102171. Epub 2021 Oct 12.

Experience from five Asia-Pacific countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: Mitigation strategies and epidemiology outcomes

Clotilde El Guerche-Séblain  1 , Lina Chakir  2 , Gopinath Nageshwaran  3 , Rebecca C Harris  4 , Caroline Sevoz-Couche  5 , Olivier Vitoux  6 , Philippe Vanhems  7
Affiliations
Review

Experience from five Asia-Pacific countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: Mitigation strategies and epidemiology outcomes

Clotilde El Guerche-Séblain et al. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2021 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Background: With no vaccines or specific treatments, non-pharmaceutical interventions are the only tools for controlling the human-to-human transmission of the COVID-19 disease, which appeared in Wuhan, China last December and has spread globally since. Here we describe and compare the first-wave mitigation strategies and epidemiology of five Asia-Pacific countries that responded rapidly to the epidemic.

Methods: From January to April 2020, mitigation measures and epidemiological data for Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong were screened from official local government websites and a review of investigational studies was conducted. Daily case reports and mitigation measures information were extracted. Epidemiological estimates were calculated and compared between countries.

Results: All five countries combined measures, focusing on contact tracing, testing, isolation efforts and healthcare management. Epidemiological data varied temporally and geographically: incubation period ranged 3.9-7.1 days, effective reproduction number at time t (Rt) ranged 0.48-1.5, with intensive care admissions 1-3% of hospitalised patients, and case fatality rates were 0.1-3%. Extrinsic estimates to the virus were lower than global estimates.

Conclusion: Implemented mitigation strategies in these countries allowed a rapid and successful control or delay of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. These are valuable examples to inform subsequent waves.

Keywords: Asia; COVID-19; Epidemiology; First wave; Mitigation strategies.

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Conflict of interest statement

CEG, GN, RH are employees of Sanofi Pasteur, which is developing vaccines against COVID-19. LC, OV are employees of Corporate Value Associates. CS has no competing interest to declare. PV received grants from ANIOS, consulting fees from GSK, PFIZER ASTELLAS, Biosciences.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Evolution of the testing strategy by country and associated number of reported cases: A. Singapore, B. South Korea.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Evolution of the testing strategy by country and associated number of reported cases: A. Japan, B. Taiwan, C. Hong Kong. ARI/ILI, acute respiratory infection/influeza-like illness; DORSCON, Disease Outbreak Response System Condition; GP, general practitioner; PHPC, Public Health Preapredness Clinic; ILI, influeza-like illness; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PMP, private medical practitioner.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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