Objective  To analyze the tracking and quarantine of close contacts of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sichuan province for providing evidences to policy-making by health administrations.

  Methods  We collected the information on all identified close contacts of COVID-19 cases reported in Sichuan province during the peak period of COVID-19. Regional distribution, quarantine outcome and its associates were analyzed.

  Results  From January 21 through March 10, 2020, totally 26 646 close contacts of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases were identified in Sichuan province, of which 24 184 had been tracked and quarantined; among the 13 217 close contacts of 539 confirmed cases, 11 148 had been tracked and quarantined. The majority (80.95%, 9 024) of the close contacts of confirmed cases had centralized quarantine and 19.05% (2 124) had home-based medical isolation. Among all the close contacts being quarantined, 226 (0.93%, 226/24 184) were confirmed with COVID-19 and the highest incidence rate of COVID-19 (9.29%, 13/140) was detected among the close contacts in Panzhihua city. Of the close contacts confirmed with COVID-19, 198 (87.61%) were common or mild cases. The ratio between the total number of detected infections among all the close contacts and the total number of COVID-19 cases attributed to those contacts was 41.93% (226/539).

  Conclusion  With strict management on close contacts of confirmed and suspected cases, the COVID-19 epidemic was effectively controlled in Sichuan province, indicating the importance of timely quarantine measures in containment of infectious disease epidemic.