A cluster of COVID-19 in pilgrims to Israel

Pavli, Androula; Smeti, Paraskevi; Papadima, Kalliopi; Andreopoulou, Anastasia; Hadjianastasiou, Sofia; Triantafillou, Eleni; Vakali, Annita; Kefaloudi, Chrysovalantou; Pervanidou, Danai; Gogos, Charalambos; Maltezou, Helena C.

doi:10.1093/jtm/taaa102

Cited by 16 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…None of the contact cases who were diagnosed positive for COVID-19 required hospitalization. Further epidemiological investigation revealed that more than 90% of the members of the pilgrim group where tested positive [ 9 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-flight transmission of COVID-19 on flights to Greece: An epidemiological analysis

Pavli

Smeti

Hadjianastasiou

et al. 2020

Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease

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Background The emergence in China in late 2019 and subsequent progression of a pandemic of a respiratory disease named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was highly facilitated by international travel. We present 5 cases of probable in-flight transmission in Greece. Methods We studied international passengers arriving to or departing from Greece from February 26 through March 9, 2020. Contact tracing extended up to 4 days before the onset of symptoms and focused on close contacts. Close contacts were defined as persons sitting within a distance of <2 m for >15 min, including passengers seated two seats around the index case and all crew members and persons who had close contact with the index case. Results We investigated 18 international flights with 2224 passengers and 110 crew members. Main countries of departure included Northern Italy, Israel and the United Kingdom. In accordance with the national surveillance investigation, in these flights there were 21 index cases and 891 contact traced cases. Six index cases were symptomatic during the flight. Of the 891 contact traced cases, 4 passengers and 1 crew member developed laboratory-confirmed infection (3 with COVID-19 and 2 with asymptomatic infection); they travelled on the same flight with two COVID-19 cases. Conclusions Air travel has played a central role in the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are scarce data about in-flight transmission. Our extensive investigation showed five cases of probable in-flight transmission. Efforts should be placed in order to ensure the prompt implementation of appropriate infection control measures on board.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-flight transmission of COVID-19 on flights to Greece: An epidemiological analysis

Pavli

Smeti

Hadjianastasiou

et al. 2020

Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease

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“…In total, 27 papers met the criteria for inclusion, reporting on 28 MGE (Figure 1). The MGE and virus epidemiology were extracted from the 27 papers (Table 220- 46). The majority of MGEs were religious in nature (n = 22/28; 78.6%) with one-half of the MGEs studies undertaken in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (n = 14/ 28; 50.0%).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Respiratory Viruses in the Context of Mass-Gathering Events: A Systematic Review to Inform Event Planning from a Health Perspective

Ranse

Beckwith

Khan

et al. 2021

Prehosp. Disaster med.

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Background: Mass-gathering events (MGEs) occur regularly throughout the world. As people congregate at MGEs, there is an increased risk of transmission of communicable diseases. Novel respiratory viruses, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-1 (SARS-CoV-1), Influenza A Virus Subtype H1N1 Strain 2009 (H1N1pdm09), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), or Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), may require specific infection prevention and control strategies to minimize the risk of transmission when planning MGEs. This literature review aimed to identify and analyze papers relating to novel respiratory viruses with pandemic potential and to inform MGE planning. Method: This paper used a systematic literature review method. Various health care databases were searched using keywords relating to MGEs and novel respiratory viruses. Information was extracted from identified papers into various tables for analysis. The analysis identified infection prevention and control strategies used at MGEs to inform planning before, during, and following events. Results: In total, 27 papers met the criteria for inclusion. No papers were identified regarding SARS-CoV-1, while the remainder reported on H1N1pdm09 (n = 9), MERS-CoV (n = 15), and SARS-CoV-2 (n = 3). Various before, during, and after event mitigation strategies were identified that can be implemented for future events. Conclusions: This literature review provided an overview of the novel respiratory virus epidemiology at MGEs alongside related public health mitigation strategies that have been implemented at these events. This paper also discusses the health security of event participants and host communities in the context of cancelling, postponing, and modifying events due to a novel respiratory virus. In particular, ways to recommence events incorporating various mitigation strategies are outlined.

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“…The above-mentioned restrictions may have also greatly affected Orthodox pilgrimage, a pivotal aspect of Orthodox spiritual life (Terzidou et al, 2017 ), within and outside Greece. However, evidence about the magnitude of the variations in Orthodox pilgrimages in the era of COVID-19 is still limited (Pavli et al, 2020 ). Hence, one purpose of this review, in addition to analyze the impact of the pandemic on Christian Orthodox religiousness, is to provide some general information about pilgrimage and pious tourism, as being experienced in Greece following the proscriptions to visit Mount Athos, the Shrine of Panagia Evangelistria in Tinos and the Holy Places in Jerusalem.…”

Section: The Burden Of the Pandemic On Devotional Pilgrimagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was the first month in which traveling in Israel became subject to limitations such as obligatory quarantine upon arrival. At the same time in Greece, on March 3, 2020, two of the first COVID-19 cases were notified to the National Public Health Organization of Greece among pilgrims returning from Jerusalem on February 27, 2020, with a direct flight from Tel Aviv, Israel (Pavli et al, 2020 ). Both pilgrims were symptomatic during the flight.…”

Section: The Burden Of the Pandemic On Devotional Pilgrimagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Governments from all around the world have reacted to the pandemic with urgent preventive restrictions and preparedness measures to avert the spreading of a highly transmissible air-borne virus. The measures undertaken have been directed at precluding agglomerations of large crowds by canceling or postponing religious festivals, such as Easter, Ramadan, Makara Jyothi, Bishwa Ijtema, and Black Nazarene, as well as pilgrimages, including Mount Athos, Hajj, and Umrah (Aggrawal et al, 2020 ; Budaev, 2021 ; Ebrahim & Memish, 2020 ; Khan et al, 2020 ; Mubarak & Zin, 2020 ; Osei-Tutu et al, 2021 ; Pavli et al, 2020 ). We should acknowledge that these measures may have saved the world from aggravated circumstances and super-spreader events, which could possibly have led to a spike in COVID-19 cases or mortality rates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spiritual Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts on Orthodox Christianity Devotion Practices, Rituals, and Religious Pilgrimages

et al. 2021

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multiple aspects of physical and social health, including spiritual and religious dimensions, has been discussed not only by numerous theologians, scientists, and politicians, but also by millions of believers of all faiths worldwide. The pandemic seems to have exerted a significant impact on religious practices. Massive gatherings of devoted and faithful people have been strongly discouraged and even openly banned. Prominent religious festivals and pilgrimages that have been conflated by the media with other "mega-spreader events" are incessantly canceled to mitigate the pandemic and alleviate the burden of COVID-19 on the healthcare system. The impact of the pandemic on Catholic or Muslim religious tourism has been extensively described in peer-reviewed and gray literature. However, observant members of the Orthodox Christianity faith have also experienced the constrictive prohibitions for gathering at and worshiping in shrines, churches, and monasteries. Among the manifestations of devotion that the pandemic has interfered with are the attendance to public worship spaces for the celebration of rites and ceremonies, like the celebration of Orthodox Easter. Expressions of reverent devotion including the kissing of crosses and icons as well as the sacrament of Holy Communion may have also been considered a motive of concern as these holy objects and the spoon used might act as fomites in the dissemination of the virus. Visitation of holy places has been also hampered by the pandemic. The most important centers of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christianity are Mount Athos and Jerusalem, as well as the Shrine of Panagia Evangelistria in the Island of Tinos, Greece. Authorities have halted almost completely the arrival of visitors to these sites. This paper aims at elaborating on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on social manifestations of religiosity and therefore taking a toll on the spiritual health of believers who have deeply rooted religious convictions and are strongly attached to Church tradition. This analysis closes with the provision of specific suggestions for the care, support, and healing of the impacted or splintered spiritual health of the believers who cannot participate in expressions of devotion, such as pilgrimages and religious tourism because of personal and public health concern, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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A cluster of COVID-19 in pilgrims to Israel

Cited by 16 publications

References 8 publications

In-flight transmission of COVID-19 on flights to Greece: An epidemiological analysis

In-flight transmission of COVID-19 on flights to Greece: An epidemiological analysis

Novel Respiratory Viruses in the Context of Mass-Gathering Events: A Systematic Review to Inform Event Planning from a Health Perspective

Spiritual Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts on Orthodox Christianity Devotion Practices, Rituals, and Religious Pilgrimages

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