tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Hosp Infect
. 2022 Mar 10;S0195-6701(22)00074-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.02.023. Online ahead of print.
Healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks: a nationwide population-based cohort study
Hao-Hsin Wu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Chiu-Hsia Su[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Li-Jung Chien[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shu-Hui Tseng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shan-Chwen Chang[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Healthcare-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significant implications for patients, their companions, and healthcare workers (HCWs). Controlling transmission in healthcare settings is critical for reducing COVID-19 mortality.
Aim: We aimed to describe the epidemiology and characteristics of healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks and outbreak-related cases.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the investigation data of each healthcare-associated outbreak that occurred between 15th January 2020 and 31st July 2021 in Taiwan. We categorized the confirmed outbreak-associated cases as HCW, patient companion, and patient, and compared the characteristics of the confirmed cases among these categories.
Findings: A total of 54 healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks including 512 confirmed cases were reported. The median number of affected cases per outbreak was 6 (interquartile range [IQR], 2-12), and the median outbreak duration was 12 days (IQR, 4.3-17.0). Only 5.7% and 0.2% of all confirmed cases had partial and full vaccinations, respectively. Most of the outbreaks (90%, 48/54) occurred in May and June 2021. HCW cases accounted for 19.5%, companion cases for 41.2%, and patients for 39.3% of the total cases. Patients were significantly older (72 years; IQR, 61-83) and had higher 30-day all-cause mortality (37.4%) than HCWs (41 years; IQR, 28-58; 0%) and companions (52 years; IQR, 42-62; 1%).
Conclusion: Healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks have a critical impact on patients. Nevertheless, two-thirds of cases in the healthcare-associated outbreaks in this study comprised HCWs and companions. To effectively mitigate COVID-19 transmission in healthcare settings, multi-pronged infection prevention and control measures should be implemented and tailored for these three groups.
Keywords: COVID-19; healthcare-associated infection; outbreak.
. 2022 Mar 10;S0195-6701(22)00074-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.02.023. Online ahead of print.
Healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks: a nationwide population-based cohort study
Hao-Hsin Wu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Chiu-Hsia Su[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Li-Jung Chien[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shu-Hui Tseng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shan-Chwen Chang[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35283225
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.02.023
Abstract
Background: Healthcare-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significant implications for patients, their companions, and healthcare workers (HCWs). Controlling transmission in healthcare settings is critical for reducing COVID-19 mortality.
Aim: We aimed to describe the epidemiology and characteristics of healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks and outbreak-related cases.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the investigation data of each healthcare-associated outbreak that occurred between 15th January 2020 and 31st July 2021 in Taiwan. We categorized the confirmed outbreak-associated cases as HCW, patient companion, and patient, and compared the characteristics of the confirmed cases among these categories.
Findings: A total of 54 healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks including 512 confirmed cases were reported. The median number of affected cases per outbreak was 6 (interquartile range [IQR], 2-12), and the median outbreak duration was 12 days (IQR, 4.3-17.0). Only 5.7% and 0.2% of all confirmed cases had partial and full vaccinations, respectively. Most of the outbreaks (90%, 48/54) occurred in May and June 2021. HCW cases accounted for 19.5%, companion cases for 41.2%, and patients for 39.3% of the total cases. Patients were significantly older (72 years; IQR, 61-83) and had higher 30-day all-cause mortality (37.4%) than HCWs (41 years; IQR, 28-58; 0%) and companions (52 years; IQR, 42-62; 1%).
Conclusion: Healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks have a critical impact on patients. Nevertheless, two-thirds of cases in the healthcare-associated outbreaks in this study comprised HCWs and companions. To effectively mitigate COVID-19 transmission in healthcare settings, multi-pronged infection prevention and control measures should be implemented and tailored for these three groups.
Keywords: COVID-19; healthcare-associated infection; outbreak.