TY - JOUR
T1 - Surveillance and identification of clusters of healthcare workers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
T2 - Multidimensional interventions at a comprehensive cancer center
AU - Ariza-Heredia, Ella J.
AU - Frenzel, Elizabeth
AU - Cantu, Sherry
AU - Carlson, Mary
AU - Thomas, Georgia
AU - Khawaja, Fareed
AU - Raad, Issam I.
AU - Chemaly, Roy F.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the University Cancer Foundation via the Institutional Research Grant program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, as well as by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (grant no. P30CA016672).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Abstract Background: Cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. In this report, we describe 3 clusters of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers (HCWs), not associated with patient exposure, and the interventions undertaken to halt ongoing exposure and transmission at our cancer center. Methods: A cluster of cases was defined as 2 or more cases of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive COVID-19 among HCWs who work in the same unit area at the same time. Cases were identified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing. Contact tracing, facility observations, and infection prevention assessments were performed to investigate the 3 clusters between March 1 and April 30, 2020, with subsequent implementation of containment strategies. Results: The initial cluster involved HCWs from an ancillary services unit, with contacts traced back to a gathering in a break room in which 1 employee was symptomatic, although not yet diagnosed with COVID-19, with subsequent transmission to 7 employees. The second cluster involved 4 employees and was community related. The third cluster involved only 2 employees with possible transmission while working in the same office at the same time. A step-up approach was implemented to control the spread of infection among employees, including universal masking, enhanced cleaning, increase awareness, and surveillance testing. No nosocomial transmission to patients transpired. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of a hospital-based cluster of COVID-19 infections among HCWs in a cancer hospital describing our steps to mitigate further transmission.
AB - Abstract Background: Cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. In this report, we describe 3 clusters of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers (HCWs), not associated with patient exposure, and the interventions undertaken to halt ongoing exposure and transmission at our cancer center. Methods: A cluster of cases was defined as 2 or more cases of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive COVID-19 among HCWs who work in the same unit area at the same time. Cases were identified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing. Contact tracing, facility observations, and infection prevention assessments were performed to investigate the 3 clusters between March 1 and April 30, 2020, with subsequent implementation of containment strategies. Results: The initial cluster involved HCWs from an ancillary services unit, with contacts traced back to a gathering in a break room in which 1 employee was symptomatic, although not yet diagnosed with COVID-19, with subsequent transmission to 7 employees. The second cluster involved 4 employees and was community related. The third cluster involved only 2 employees with possible transmission while working in the same office at the same time. A step-up approach was implemented to control the spread of infection among employees, including universal masking, enhanced cleaning, increase awareness, and surveillance testing. No nosocomial transmission to patients transpired. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of a hospital-based cluster of COVID-19 infections among HCWs in a cancer hospital describing our steps to mitigate further transmission.
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U2 - 10.1017/ice.2020.1315
DO - 10.1017/ice.2020.1315
M3 - Article
C2 - 33183368
AN - SCOPUS:85096342228
SN - 0899-823X
VL - 42
SP - 797
EP - 802
JO - Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
JF - Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
IS - 7
ER -