Risk of COVID-19 Infection in Healthcare Workers Exposed During Use of Non-invasive Ventilation in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman.

OBJECTIVES

Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially those working on the front line, are considered to be at high risk of nosocomial acquisition of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Little is known about the effectiveness of the recommended protective methods as few reports have described spread of the disease in hospital settings among this high-risk population. We describe the hospital-based transmission of SARS-CoV-2 related to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in one of the main tertiary care hospitals in Oman.

METHODS

All exposed patients and HCWs from Royal Hospital were screened, quarantined, and underwent telephone interviews to stratify their risk factors, clinical symptoms, and exposure risk assessment.

RESULTS

A total of 46 HCWs and patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after exposure to an index case who received 48 hours of NIV before diagnosing COVID-19 infection. Over half of the exposed (56.5%; n = 26) were nurses, 26.1% (n = 12) were patients, and 15.2% (n = 7) were doctors. None of the HCWs required hospitalization. Sore throat, fever, and myalgia were the most common symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

NIV poses a significant risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission within hospital settings if appropriate infection control measures are not taken.