First documented gymnasium cluster of COVID-19 with whole genome sequencing in Australia

Authors

  • Bhavi Ravindran Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia
  • Elizabeth Gatens Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia
  • Naru Pal Public Health Unit, Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia
  • Vicky Sheppeard South Eastern Sydney Public Health Unit, New South Wales, Australia
  • Anna Calik Public Health Unit, Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia
  • Kate Alexander Public Health Unit, Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia
  • Khizar Ashraf Public Health Unit, Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia
  • Alicia Arnott Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
  • Vitali Sintchenko
  • Craig B Dalton Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2023.47.55

Keywords:

SARS virus, risk factors, gymnasium, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Australia, public health, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), outbreak, fitness, whole genome sequencing

Abstract

Background

Transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been demonstrated in fitness settings internationally. We report the first documented case of transmission of COVID-19 in a gymnasium in Australia in 2020.

Methods

Case finding and case interviews were conducted among attendees in a Western Sydney gymnasium, Australia. Whole genome sequencing using an amplicon-based approach was performed on all SARS CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction positive samples detected through surveillance.

Results

We show that five cases of COVID-19 were linked to the gymnasium, with transmission occurring on 7 July 2020, when the index case transmitted the infection to four other gymnasium attendees through the sharing of an enclosed space.

Conclusions

There is an ongoing risk of transmission of COVID-19 within gymnasium environments and they are justifiably classified as a ‘high-risk’ venue. There may be a need to expand ventilation and space requirements to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in such settings in the context of severe COVID-19 variants or to prevent respiratory disease transmission in general.

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Published

21/09/23

How to Cite

Ravindran, Bhavi, Elizabeth Gatens, Naru Pal, Vicky Sheppeard, Anna Calik, Kate Alexander, Khizar Ashraf, Alicia Arnott, Vitali Sintchenko, and Craig B Dalton. 2023. “First Documented Gymnasium Cluster of COVID-19 With Whole Genome Sequencing in Australia”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 47 (September). https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2023.47.55.

Issue

Vol. 47 (2023)

Section

Original article

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