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Jin-Hwan Jeon 2 Articles
Risk factors for transmission in a COVID-19 cluster infection in a high school in the Republic of Korea
Jin-Hwan Jeon, Su Jin Kang, Se-Jin Jeong, Hyeon-Cheol Jang, Young-Joon Park, Sang-Eun Lee
Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2023;14(4):252-262.   Published online July 27, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2023.0125
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  • 208 Download
  • 1 Web of Science
  • 1 Crossref
Graphical AbstractGraphical Abstract AbstractAbstract PDF
Objectives
This study aimed to examine the scale, characteristics, risk factors, and modes of transmission in a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak at a high school in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Methods
An epidemiological survey was conducted of 1,118 confirmed cases and close contacts from a COVID-19 outbreak at an educational facility starting on May 31, 2021. In-depth interviews, online questionnaires, flow evaluations, and CCTV analyses were used to devise infection prevention measures. Behavioral and spatial risk factors were identified, and statistical significance was tested.
Results
Among 3rd-year students, there were 33 confirmed COVID-19 cases (9.6%). Students who used a study room in the annex building showed a statistically significant 4.3-fold elevation in their relative risk for infection compared to those who did not use the study room. Moreover, CCTV facial recognition analysis confirmed that 17.8% of 3rd-year students did not wear masks and had the lowest percentage of mask-wearers by grade. The air epidemiological survey conducted in the study room in the annex, which met the 3 criteria for a closed space, confirmed that there was only 10% natural ventilation due to the poor ventilation system.
Conclusion
To prevent and manage the spread of COVID-19 in educational facilities, advance measures that consider the size, operation, and resources of each school are crucial. In addition, various survey methodologies should be used in future studies to quickly analyze a wider range of data that can inform an evidence-based quarantine response.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Detection of a cluster of Omicron's BA.4 sublineage in Northern Senegal and identification of the first XAS recombinant variant in Senegal
    Martin Faye, Modeste Name Faye, Babacar Ndiaye, Moussa Moïse Diagne, Safietou Sankhe, Ndeye Marième Top, Amadou Diallo, Cheikh Loucoubar, Ndongo Dia, Amadou Alpha Sall, Ousmane Faye
    Virus Research.2024; 339: 199259.     CrossRef
Characteristics and trends of severe/critical COVID-19 cases in the Republic of Korea (January 2020 to August 2023)
Se-Jin Jeong, Shin Young Park, Boyeong Ryu, Misuk An, Jin-Hwan Jeon, So Young Choi, Seong-Sun Kim
Received October 17, 2024  Accepted December 22, 2024  Published online February 7, 2025  
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2024.0295    [Epub ahead of print]
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AbstractAbstract PDF
Objectives
We analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), focusing specifically on severe/critical cases, and assessed the trends and rates of severity and fatality among these patients in the Republic of Korea.
Methods
Clinical data on patients with COVID-19 from January 20, 2020 to August 30, 2023 were collected from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s database. We identified patients who progressed to severe/critical conditions and analyzed their demographic and clinical profiles. Severity and fatality rates were calculated and compared annually to track the disease progression over time.
Results
During the surveillance period, 34,572,554 COVID-19 cases were confirmed, among whom 38,112 (0.11%) progressed to severe/critical conditions. Most severe/critical cases occurred in individuals aged ≥60 years, with a notable increase in patients aged ≥80 years from 2022. The overall severity rate was 0.19%, with a fatality rate of 0.10%. However, the severity of cases gradually diminished during the study period. In 2022, the severity and fatality rates decreased to 0.14% and 0.09%, respectively. In 2023, while the severity rate remained stable at 0.15%, the fatality rate further decreased to 0.06%. Notably, throughout the study period, individuals aged ≥80 years had a significantly higher severity rate (0.19%), with a fatality rate of 1.75%.
Conclusion
These findings underscore the importance of prioritizing protection and management strategies for older adults and high-risk groups to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Continued surveillance and analysis are essential to effectively control COVID-19 and minimize its burden on public health.

PHRP : Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives
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