Cheng VC, Wong SC, Au AK, Zhang C, Chen JH, So SY, Li X, Wang Q, Lu KK, Lung DC, Wai-Man Chuang V, Schuldenfrei E, Siu GK, To KK, Li Y, Yuen KY. Explosive outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is associated with vertical transmission in high-rise residential buildings in Hong Kong. Build Environ. 2022 Jun 24;221:109323. doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109323. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35765578; PMCID: PMC9225940.
Highlights
- Vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in high-rise residential buildings (HRRBs) was studied in Hong Kong.
- Compulsory testing of a whole building during the fourth wave (non-Omicron variant) and fifth wave (mostly Omicron variant) of COVID-19 outbreak studied the prevalence of this phenomenon, which may represent a form of airborne transmission.
- 25,450 (5.8%) of 436,397 residents from 223 (63.0%) of 354 HRRBs were test-positive for SARS-CoV-2.
- Whole-genome phylogenetic analysis of 332 viral genomes showed that Omicron BA.2 was the predominant strain, supporting the high transmissibility of BA.2 by airborne excreta-aerosol route in HRRBs of Hong Kong.