Long diagnostic delays (LDDs) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might decrease the effectiveness of patient isolation in reducing subsequent transmission. We assumed that direction of government considerably increased probability of LDD among COVID-19 cases with unknown exposure in Japan. This study aimed to investigate association of route of case detection and proportion of LDD of COVID-19 in Japan. We included confirmed COVID-19 patients with symptom onset between the ninth and eleventh week in 2020, in 6 prefectures of Japan. LDD was defined as the duration between COVID-19 symptom onset and confirmation ≥6 days. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to elucidate factors associated with LDD. The mean diagnostic delay for 364 cases was 6.3 days. Proportion of LDD was 38% for cases with known exposure, and 65% for cases with unknown exposure. The probability of LDD in cases with unknown exposure was significantly higher than that for known exposure cases (adjusted odds ratio: 2.38, 95% confidence interval: 1.354–4.21). Early PCR test after symptom onset, strengthening of PCR test capacity, and investigations to study impact of high proportion of LDD in cases without known exposure might be necessary.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Japan, transmission route, diagnostic delay, unknown exposure, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, Coronavirus disease 2019, diagnostic, Transmission, Probability, Patient, Effectiveness, Isolation, Japan, PCR test, association, Analysis, COVID-19 patient, COVID-19 symptom, Government, symptom onset, Factor, adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, COVID-19 case, multivariable logistic regression, confirmed COVID-19 patients, route, decrease, Long, defined, proportion, subsequent, adjusted, reducing, significantly higher, assumed, 【제목키워드】 Delay, Long, Unknown,