Covid-19 clusters (FOI)Covid-19 clusters (FOI)
Produced by the Freedom of Information officeAuthored by Government of Jersey and published on
09 December 2020.Prepared internally, no external costs.
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In the recent press release, Ivan Muscatt mentioned clusters.
The ECDC has a "Summary overview of reported clusters of COVID-19 in different occupational settings"
Since October 2020, how many clusters have tested positive, and how many in each cluster tested positive?
Can the type of cluster be identified? For example:
hospitals
long-term care facilities
primary care facilities
building and construction sites
office
office Party
educational facilities (Schools / Highlands)
restaurant / Cafe
church
Response
The number of cases with an unknown source is constantly changing as the team constantly review cases to determine whether there is a link to other cases, a known cluster or particular premises.
As at 6 November 2020, the Deputy Medical Officer of Health provided snapshot information in a press conference regarding the number of positive cases which, at that time, had an unconfirmed source.
The slide is reproduced at the link below:
Incidents of Unknown Source
Since then the number of cases / groups / clusters without source have increased as demonstrated in the below table (snapshot of cases / groups / clusters with unknown sources end of Sat 28 Nov):
| | Single case | Household group | Small cluster | Large cluster | Total |
| October | 4 | - | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| November | 38 | 6 | 15 | 13 | 72 |
| Total | 42 | 6 | 17 | 15 | 80 |
It is challenging to accurately comment on the number of positive cases in each of the clusters as the information is constantly changing and the clusters sometimes overlap.
Most clusters involve cases in a range of settings and differing environments, therefore cannot be reliably grouped by ‘type’ of cluster. However as of the 28 November these clusters were predominantly linked to enclosed environments with repeated or prolonged exposure to an individual or individuals who subsequently test positive for COVID-19. Almost all groups or clusters at this stage were linked to one of the following:
family groups with repeated household interactions
party / gathering – in a private dwelling, private function, pub or restaurant
office workplaces or socialising with people linked to work
physical activity in gyms
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