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Contribution of low population immunity to the severe Omicron BA.2 outbreak in Hong Kong

Author

Listed:
  • Lin-Lei Chen

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Syed Muhammad Umer Abdullah

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Wan-Mui Chan

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Brian Pui-Chun Chan

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Jonathan Daniel Ip

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Allen Wing-Ho Chu

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Lu Lu

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Xiaojuan Zhang

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Yan Zhao

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Vivien Wai-Man Chuang

    (Quality and Safety Division, Hospital Authority)

  • Albert Ka-Wing Au

    (Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health)

  • Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng

    (The University of Hong Kong
    Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam
    Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster)

  • Siddharth Sridhar

    (The University of Hong Kong
    Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam
    The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital)

  • Kwok-Yung Yuen

    (The University of Hong Kong
    Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam
    The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital
    Hong Kong Science and Technology Park)

  • Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Kwok-Hung Chan

    (The University of Hong Kong
    The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital)

  • Kelvin Kai-Wang To

    (The University of Hong Kong
    Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam
    The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital
    Hong Kong Science and Technology Park)

Abstract

Monitoring population protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants is critical for risk assessment. We hypothesize that Hong Kong’s explosive Omicron BA.2 outbreak in early 2022 could be explained by low herd immunity. Our seroprevalence study using sera collected from January to December 2021 shows a very low prevalence of neutralizing antibodies (NAb) against ancestral virus among older adults. The age group-specific prevalence of NAb generally correlates with the vaccination uptake rate, but older adults have a much lower NAb seropositive rate than vaccination uptake rate. For all age groups, the seroprevalence of NAb against Omicron variant is much lower than that against the ancestral virus. Our study suggests that this BA.2 outbreak and the exceptionally high case-fatality rate in the ≥80 year-old age group (9.2%) could be attributed to the lack of protective immunity in the population, especially among the vulnerable older adults, and that ongoing sero-surveillance is essential.

Suggested Citation

  • Lin-Lei Chen & Syed Muhammad Umer Abdullah & Wan-Mui Chan & Brian Pui-Chun Chan & Jonathan Daniel Ip & Allen Wing-Ho Chu & Lu Lu & Xiaojuan Zhang & Yan Zhao & Vivien Wai-Man Chuang & Albert Ka-Wing Au, 2022. "Contribution of low population immunity to the severe Omicron BA.2 outbreak in Hong Kong," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31395-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31395-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sho Iketani & Lihong Liu & Yicheng Guo & Liyuan Liu & Jasper F.-W. Chan & Yiming Huang & Maple Wang & Yang Luo & Jian Yu & Hin Chu & Kenn K.-H. Chik & Terrence T.-T. Yuen & Michael T. Yin & Magdalena , 2022. "Antibody evasion properties of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages," Nature, Nature, vol. 604(7906), pages 553-556, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ruopeng Xie & Kimberly M. Edwards & Dillon C. Adam & Kathy S. M. Leung & Tim K. Tsang & Shreya Gurung & Weijia Xiong & Xiaoman Wei & Daisy Y. M. Ng & Gigi Y. Z. Liu & Pavithra Krishnan & Lydia D. J. C, 2023. "Resurgence of Omicron BA.2 in SARS-CoV-2 infection-naive Hong Kong," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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