tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
. 2021 Mar 19;1-39.
doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.119. Online ahead of print.
Multi-pronged infection control strategy to achieve zero nosocomial COVID-19 infection among Hong Kong healthcare workers in the first 300 days of combat
Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shuk-Ching Wong[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Danny Wah-Kun Tong[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Vivien Wai-Man Chuang[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Larry Lap-Yip Lee[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kelvin Kai-Wang To[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Pak-Leung Ho[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Deacons Tai-Kong Yeung[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Kin-Lai Chung[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kwok-Yung Yuen[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Nosocomial outbreaks leading to healthcare workers (HCWs) infection and death have been increasingly reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. An effective intervention is urgently needed to reduce nosocomial acquisition.
Methods: We summarized our experience of multi-pronged infection control (IC) strategy in the first 300 days (December 31, 2019 to October 25, 2020) of COVID-19 era under the governance of Hospital Authority in Hong Kong.
Results: Of 5,296 COVID-19 patients, 4,808 (90.8%) were diagnosed in the first (142 cases), second (896 cases), and third wave (3,770 cases) of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Except for one patient who died before admission, all COVID-19 patients were admitted to public healthcare system which culminated to 78,834 COVID-19 patient-days. The median length of stay was 13 days (ranged, 1-128). Of 81,955 HCWs, thirty-eight (0.05%) HCWs [13 professional (2 doctors, 11 nurses) and 25 non-professional staff], had COVID-19. Except for 5 of 38 (13.2%) infected by HCW-to-HCW transmission in the non-clinical settings, no HCW had documented transmission from COVID-19 patients in the hospitals. The incidence of COVID-19 among HCWs was significantly lower than that of our general population (0.46 per 1,000 HCWs vs 0.71 per 1,000 population, p=0.008). The incidence of COVID-19 among professional staff was significantly lower than that of non-professional staff (0.30 vs 0.66 per 1,000 FTE, p=0.022).
Conclusion: Hospital-based approach spared our healthcare service from being overloaded. No nosocomial COVID-19 in HCWs was found in the first 300 days of COVID-19 era in Hong Kong with our multi-pronged IC strategy.
. 2021 Mar 19;1-39.
doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.119. Online ahead of print.
Multi-pronged infection control strategy to achieve zero nosocomial COVID-19 infection among Hong Kong healthcare workers in the first 300 days of combat
Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shuk-Ching Wong[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Danny Wah-Kun Tong[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Vivien Wai-Man Chuang[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Larry Lap-Yip Lee[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kelvin Kai-Wang To[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Pak-Leung Ho[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Deacons Tai-Kong Yeung[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Kin-Lai Chung[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kwok-Yung Yuen[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33736729
- DOI: 10.1017/ice.2021.119
Abstract
Background: Nosocomial outbreaks leading to healthcare workers (HCWs) infection and death have been increasingly reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. An effective intervention is urgently needed to reduce nosocomial acquisition.
Methods: We summarized our experience of multi-pronged infection control (IC) strategy in the first 300 days (December 31, 2019 to October 25, 2020) of COVID-19 era under the governance of Hospital Authority in Hong Kong.
Results: Of 5,296 COVID-19 patients, 4,808 (90.8%) were diagnosed in the first (142 cases), second (896 cases), and third wave (3,770 cases) of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Except for one patient who died before admission, all COVID-19 patients were admitted to public healthcare system which culminated to 78,834 COVID-19 patient-days. The median length of stay was 13 days (ranged, 1-128). Of 81,955 HCWs, thirty-eight (0.05%) HCWs [13 professional (2 doctors, 11 nurses) and 25 non-professional staff], had COVID-19. Except for 5 of 38 (13.2%) infected by HCW-to-HCW transmission in the non-clinical settings, no HCW had documented transmission from COVID-19 patients in the hospitals. The incidence of COVID-19 among HCWs was significantly lower than that of our general population (0.46 per 1,000 HCWs vs 0.71 per 1,000 population, p=0.008). The incidence of COVID-19 among professional staff was significantly lower than that of non-professional staff (0.30 vs 0.66 per 1,000 FTE, p=0.022).
Conclusion: Hospital-based approach spared our healthcare service from being overloaded. No nosocomial COVID-19 in HCWs was found in the first 300 days of COVID-19 era in Hong Kong with our multi-pronged IC strategy.