Lu Tsung-Lung, Chuang Yiling, Huang Chienhsiu
Department of Nursing, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan.
Department of Internal Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan.
Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2023 Feb 28;16:309-315. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S398668. eCollection 2023.
The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is 2 to 3 times more contagious than the Delta variant and poses a new challenge in containing transmission in community and health care settings. Transmission in hospitals can cause nosocomial outbreak infections and affect patients and health care workers. This study describes a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in a medical ward. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the transmission source of the outbreak, as well as the measures implemented to prevent and control it.
A cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infections that affected health care workers, inpatients, and caregivers was thoroughly researched in a medical ward. There were several strict outbreak measures implemented in our hospital, and these measures controlled the nosocomial COVID-19 outbreak in this study.
Seven cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were diagnosed within 2 days in the medical ward. The infection control team declared a nosocomial outbreak of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. Several strict outbreak measures were implemented as follows: 1. The medical ward was closed and cleaning and disinfection were performed. 2. All patients and caregivers with negative test results were transferred to a spare COVID-19 isolation ward. 3. Relatives' visits were not allowed, and no new patient was admitted during the outbreak period. 4. Health care workers were retrained on wearing personal protective equipment and enhanced techniques and practices of hand hygiene, social distancing, and self-monitoring of fever and respiratory symptoms.
This outbreak occurred in a non-COVID-19 ward during the COVID-19 Omicron variant phase of the pandemic. Our strict outbreak measures halted and contained the nosocomial COVID-19 outbreak in 10 days. Future studies are needed to establish a standard policy of COVID-19 outbreak measure implementation.
严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）的奥密克戎变异株的传染性比德尔塔变异株高2至3倍，给社区和医疗机构的传播控制带来了新挑战。医院内的传播可导致医院内爆发感染，并影响患者和医护人员。本研究描述了一个内科病房发生的2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）疫情。调查目的是确定疫情的传播源头以及为防控疫情所采取的措施。
对一个内科病房内发生的一组影响医护人员、住院患者及陪护人员的SARS-CoV-2感染情况进行了深入研究。我们医院实施了多项严格的疫情防控措施，这些措施控制了本研究中的医院内COVID-19疫情。
内科病房在2天内确诊了7例SARS-CoV-2感染病例。感染控制小组宣布该医院发生了COVID-19奥密克戎变异株的医院内疫情。实施了以下多项严格的疫情防控措施：1. 关闭内科病房并进行清洁和消毒。2. 所有检测结果为阴性的患者和陪护人员被转移至备用的COVID-19隔离病房。3. 疫情期间不允许亲属探视，且不接收新患者。4. 对医护人员进行重新培训，内容包括个人防护装备的穿戴以及强化手卫生、社交距离和发热及呼吸道症状自我监测的技术与操作。
此次疫情发生在新冠大流行的COVID-19奥密克戎变异株流行阶段的一个非COVID-19病房。我们严格的疫情防控措施在10天内阻止并控制了医院内的COVID-19疫情。未来需要开展研究以制定COVID-19疫情防控措施实施的标准政策。
