High prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in repatriation flights to Greece from three European countries

• Published in: Journal of Travel Medicine Vol. 27; no. 3
• Main Authors: Lytras, Theodore, Dellis, George, Flountzi, Anastasia, Hatzianastasiou, Sophia, Nikolopoulou, Georgia, Tsekou, Katerina, Diamantis, Zafiris, Stathopoulou, Grigoria, Togka, Marianthi, Gerolymatos, Gerasimos, Rigakos, George, Sapounas, Spiridon, Tsiodras, Sotirios
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 18.05.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Greece - epidemiology; Humans; Infections; London; Pandemics; Passengers; Pneumonia, Viral - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Prevalence; Quarantine; Rapid Communication; Repatriation; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spain; Travel; Turkey; Young Adult; Greece; London; Turkey; Spain; United Kingdom > UK; COVID; screening; coronavirus; air travel; real-time PCR; pandemic; asymptomatic transmission
• ISSN: 1195-1982; 1708-8305
• DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taaa054

Passengers on repatriation flights to Greece from the UK, Spain and Turkey were screened with oropharyngeal swabs on arrival for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Despite almost all passengers being asymptomatic, many tested positive (3.6% from the UK, 6.3% from Spain and 6.3% from Turkey), indicating widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in these countries.