Outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the psychiatric ward of a general hospital in Brazil

BACKGROUNDAn outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant was detected in the psychiatric ward of a general hospital in Brasília, Brazil. METHODSWe report the investigation, clinical outcomes, viral sequencing, and control measures applied to outbreak containment. RESULTSThe overall attack rate was 95% (23/24) in a period of 13 days. Among the cases, 78% (18/23) were vaccinated and 17% (4/23) required intensive care. The Omicron variant was isolated from the 19 sequenced samples. CONCLUSIONSThe findings highlight the potential harm that highly transmissible variants may generate among hospitalized populations, particularly those with comorbidities.