Detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus using acute respiratory infections sentinel surveillance system (PIDIRAC) in Catalonia (Spain)

Abstract In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic in Catalonia (Spain), the first SARS-CoV-2 case confirmed was notified to the Catalonia Epidemiological Surveillance Network (RVEC) on 25 February 2020. The present study describes and analyses the respiratory samples obtained in primary care using PIDIRAC epidemiological sentinel surveillance system to complement the pandemic surveillance system activated, and describe whether SARS‑CoV-2 was circulating before the first case detected in Catalonia, between October 2019 and April 2020.During this period, 878 respiratory samples from patients with acute respiratory infection or influenza syndrome obtained by PIDIRAC epidemiological sentinel surveillance system were analysed. Of the total sample, 51.9% tested positive to influenza virus and 48.1% to other respiratory viruses, with SARS-CoV-2 being present in 6 samples. The first SARS‑CoV‑2 positive case showed the first symptoms on 2 March 2020. These were 3 men and 3 women aged between 25 and 50 years old (mean age 44.5 years old). Fever, general discomfort, coughing, chills, and arthromyalgia were the most frequent symptoms in the SARS-CoV-2 cases. Likewise, 44 samples that had tested positive for coronavirus during 2018-2019 were typed. They were all typed as one of the regular CoV, none of them being SARS-CoV-2.The acute respiratory infections sentinel surveillance system (PIDIRAC) reinforces the global epidemiological surveillance, allows to corroborate whether there is virus circulation or not, and helps confirm that generalised community transmission in Catalonia took place in mid-March.