International Travel-Related COVID-19 Infection and Outbreak from Wedding Ceremony: First Case in Turkey

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 virus is a new and highly contagious respiratory virus that transmission by droplet route. Here we reported international travel-related SARS CoV-2 transmission, and then cause an outbreak by the wedding ceremony. Two index passenger groups include three families who come from Paris to İstanbul to attend the wedding ceremony transmitted COVID-19 infection to Turkey. During the wedding ceremony and later period, they were in close contact with about 350 persons. Clinical pictures COVID-19 infection occurred in 53 relatives. PCR positivity was found in 35 hospitalized cases. The infection spread to four cities in Turkey. The most frequent symptoms of 35 confirmed cases were dizziness (77%), fever (57.1%), joint and muscle pain (57.1%), loss of smell (45.7%) and loss of taste (42.9%), and shore throat (37.1%), dry cough (34.3%), diarrhea (25.7%), rhinorrhea (14.3%) and dyspnea (8.5%). 48 cases (90.5%) were mild-moderate. Severe pneumonia was developed, intensive care and intubation need in five cases (9.4%), and four of them were died (7.5%). 
 COVID-19 virus can be easily acquired during plane travel and transmitted to other persons with unprotected contact. The infection prevention rules should be strictly applied for the protection from disease. Persons should avoid attend gatherings, even with their family or relatives, and should stay at home. The wedding and other social activities should be postponed after the pandemic.