Enhancing Respiratory Disease Surveillance to Detect COVID-19 in Shelters for Displaced Persons, Thailand-Myanmar Border, 2020-2021
Issued Date
2022-12-01
Resource Type
ISSN
10806040
eISSN
10806059
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85143917277
Pubmed ID
36502383
Journal Title
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume
28
Issue
13
Start Page
S17
End Page
S25
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Emerging Infectious Diseases Vol.28 No.13 (2022) , S17-S25
Suggested Citation
Knust B., Wongjindanon N., Moe A.A., Herath L., Kaloy W., Soe T.T., Sataranon P., Oo H.M., Myat K.Z., Win Z., Htet M., Htike M., Sudhiprapha B., Pyone A.A., Win T.P., Win H.Z., Sawatwong P., Watthanaworawit W., Ling C., Gunaratne S., Lynn S.A., Bhandari L., Nosten F., Skaggs B. Enhancing Respiratory Disease Surveillance to Detect COVID-19 in Shelters for Displaced Persons, Thailand-Myanmar Border, 2020-2021. Emerging Infectious Diseases Vol.28 No.13 (2022) , S17-S25. S25. doi:10.3201/EID2813.220324 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/87162
Title
Enhancing Respiratory Disease Surveillance to Detect COVID-19 in Shelters for Displaced Persons, Thailand-Myanmar Border, 2020-2021
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
We developed surveillance guidance for COVID-19 in 9 temporary camps for displaced persons along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Arrangements were made for testing of persons presenting with acute respiratory infection, influenza-like illness, or who met the Thailand national COVID-19 Person Under Investigation case definition. In addition, testing was performed for persons who had traveled outside of the camps in outbreak-affected areas or who departed Thailand as resettling refugees. During the first 18 months of surveillance, May 2020-October 2021, a total of 6,190 specimens were tested, and 15 outbreaks (i.e., >1 confirmed COVID-19 cases) were detected in 7 camps. Of those, 5 outbreaks were limited to a single case. Outbreaks during the Delta variant surge were particularly challenging to control. Adapting and implementing COVID-19 surveillance measures in the camp setting were successful in detecting COVID-19 outbreaks and preventing widespread disease during the initial phase of the pandemic in Thailand.