Assessment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Community Containment Strategies in Shenzhen, China

Abstract

A novel coronavirus, designated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been confirmed as the cause of a new outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China.¹ Since then, studies^2,3 have found that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is transmitted from human to human and is moderately contagious, compared with severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome. However, current studies^4,5 estimate that the incubation period for COVID-19 is 2 to 14 days, with potential asymptomatic transmission, which could lead to the infection of a large number of people. Rapid increases in the numbers of diagnosed and suspected cases have concerned Chinese citizens, even as Chinese authorities have enforced multiple measures, such as imposing a cordon sanitaire (ie, quarantine) and closing public transit.⁶ Therefore, we believe that the most important measure is the early identification and quarantine of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. This approach would cut the means of transmission and protect people at high risk in the community, measures that are paramount for elimination of this disease.