Surveillance of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Testing in Clinical Laboratories in Korea
10.3343/alm.2021.41.2.225
- Author:
Hee Jae HUH
1
;
Ki Ho HONG
;
Taek Soo KIM
;
Sang Hoon SONG
;
Kyoung Ho ROH
;
Hyukmin LEE
;
Gye Cheol KWON
Author Information
1. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- From:Annals of Laboratory Medicine
2021;41(2):225-229
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
In response to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an online laboratory surveillance system was established to monitor severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) testing capacities and results. SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR testing data were collected from 97 clinical laboratories, including 84 medical institutions and 13 independent clinical laboratories in Korea. We assessed the testing capacities to utilize SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR based on surveillance data obtained from February 7th to June 4th, 2020 and evaluated positive result characteristics according to the reagents used and sample types. A total of 1,890,319 SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR testing were performed, 2.3% of which were positive. Strong correlations were observed between the envelope (E ) gene and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp )ucleocapsid (N ) genes threshold cycle (Ct) values for each reagent. No statistically significant differences in gene Ct values were observed between the paired upper and lower respiratory tract samples, except in the N gene for nasopharyngeal swab and sputum samples. Our study showed that clinical laboratories in Korea have rapidly expanded their testing capacities in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, with a peak daily capacity of 34,193 tests. Rapid expansion in testing capacity is a critical component of the national response to the ongoing pandemic.
