VP31.17: Prevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in asymptomatic patients

Abstract

Describe the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic patients admitted for delivery. This is a prospective cohort study based on data collected at the University Hospital Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota between 2020 and 2021, in asymptomatic pregnant patients admitted for delivery. All patients without a prior diagnosis of COVID-19 underwent the nasopharyngeal swab SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Patients scheduled for a Caesarean delivery were examined and evaluated at preoperative visits. Hospital policies recommended the use of universal masks and N95 masks in clinical units by physicians, patients, and support persons, and limited each visitor to 1 childbirth assistance visitor. Universal tests of patients already diagnosed with COVID-19 and patients not admitted for delivery were excluded. 1275 patients who presented for delivery were examined. The average age was 34 years with a standard deviation of (±) 6 years, the average gestational age at delivery was 37.5 weeks (±) 2.1 weeks. Regarding the obstetric history, 695 patients (55%) were multiparous women, 822 (64%) were considered to be of high obstetric risk. In 946 (74%) is the Caesarean birth, 1232 (97%) babies had an APGAR> 7 until the first minute and the mean birth weight was 2921 grams (±) 432 grams. Only 21 (< 1%) patient was positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR, showing a prevalence of less than < 1% of SARS-CoV-2 in this cohort of asymptomatic pregnant women. No healthcare worker in obstetric units was removed from work due to exposure to SARS-CoV-2 or transmission disease from known or possible contact with a patient. These results are limited to a hospital setting and a single geographic region. These findings found a low (< 1%) prevalence of positive SARS-CoV-2 test results among asymptomatic patients in a pregnant population, until June 2021, the city of Bogotá, Colombia, was considered a highly endemic region.