Investigation of a COVID-19 Outbreak Following a Wedding Banquet, March 2022, Taiwan

Huai-Te Tsai^1*, Ching-Ying Chen¹, Pei-Ling Lee¹, Jen-Yih Lee¹, Tzu-Chun Chen¹, Tsuey-Fong Lee²

2025 Vol.41 No.7

Correspondence Author： Huai-Te Tsai^1*

Abstract：

        On March 18, 2022, Chiayi City Health Bureau received a report of a male patient in his 30s confirmed to have COVID-19, prompting an epidemiological investigation. The patient had attended a wedding banquet on March 13. By April 2, 18 locally acquired COVID-19 cases were linked to this event. Following analysis of test results, contact histories, and disease onset dates, a banquet guest was identified as patient zero. 
        The outbreak had two infection chains, with three transmission waves, impacting nearly 3,000 people across 16 counties and cities. Community screening efforts tested over 5,000 people. In light of this outbreak, the Central Epidemic Command Center reiterated its guideline, prohibiting toasting table-by-table at banquets.
        Social gatherings that bring together people from different regions, such as banquets, pose a significant risk of infectious disease transmission. During the containment phase of a pandemic, expanding testing capacity, introducing effective treatments, ensuring widespread vaccination and booster coverage, maintaining consistent disease prevention behaviors, and triaging patients by severity are essential in reducing the risk of infection, illness, severe diseases, and transmission, ultimately enabling a return to normal life.

Keywords：SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19, wedding banquet, toasting table-by-table