A COVID-19 outbreak erupted from the CDC’s three-day 2023 Epidemic Intelligence Service conference, citing 35 positive cases amongst attendees as of May 2. The Atlanta, Georgia-based event took place at the agency’s headquarters and offered an opportunity for EIS members to share their scientific developments with the purpose of improving public health.
An ironic foreshadowing of news to come, the CDC tweeted an April 27 invitation to learn more about how EIS officers investigate and respond to disease outbreaks.
Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers investigate and respond to disease outbreaks and other #PublicHealth threats.
Learn more about the work Arran and other EIS officers are presenting at this week's 2023 annual EIS conference: https://t.co/M55HcQuI4H#CDCEIS23 pic.twitter.com/j9wwY0pXHq
— CDC (@CDCgov) April 27, 2023
Just days after the event concluded, multiple staffers who attended the conference had tested positive for the coronavirus. CDC spokesperson, Kristen Nordlund confirmed that number grew to 35 positive cases as of Tuesday.
“CDC is working with the Georgia Department of Health to conduct a rapid epidemiological assessment of confirmed COVID-19 cases that appear to be connected to the 2023 EIS Conference to determine transmission patterns in this phase of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Nordlund said.
“Whenever there are large gatherings, especially indoors, such as at a conference, there is the possibility of COVID-19 spread, even in periods of low community spread,” she added.
This COVID-19 outbreak among the (likely) highly vaccinated CDC conference population occurred in Fulton County, an area of Georgia that is currently considered to have a low quantity of circulating coronavirus cases.
Add comment