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Characteristics of healthcare workers infected with COVID-19: A cross-sectional observational study
Zaina Al Maskari1, Ahlam Al Blushi1, Faryal Khamis2
1Infection Prevention and Control Department, Royal Hospital, Al Ghubra, Postal Code 111, PO Box 1331, Muscat, Oman.
Insights
Healthcare workers (HCWs) face a high risk of COVID-19 infection in the workplace. Enhanced infection control measures are crucial to protect staff from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and prevent transmission.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged in late 2019.
- This study focuses on COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Oman.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the characteristics of HCWs who tested positive for COVID-19.
- To analyze the sources of infection (community-acquired vs. hospital-acquired) among infected HCWs.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional descriptive analysis.
- Utilized rRT-PCR testing for COVID-19 diagnosis.
Main Results:
- 204 HCWs tested positive for COVID-19 (21.2% test positivity rate).
- 4.3% of hospital staff were infected, with higher rates in females (9.3%) and clinicians (4.7%).
- Community-acquired infections (61.3%) were more prevalent than hospital-acquired infections (25.5%); infection peaks occurred post-Eid Al Fitr.
Conclusions:
- HCWs are at increased risk of workplace COVID-19 exposure.
- Strengthening infection control measures is essential to mitigate risks for HCWs and prevent disease spread.
Introduction:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new emerging infectious disease, first identified in China in December 2019, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study describes the characteristics of healthcare workers (HCWs) who tested positive for COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Oman.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional descriptive analysis of HCWs with COVID-19.
Results:
During the study period, 204 HCWs tested positive for COVID-19 by rRT-PCR test, with a test positivity rate of 21.2%; the percentage of infected hospital staff was 4.3%. Their mean age was 36 years. Overall, 2.2% of the male staff were infected, while 9.3% of the female staff were infected. Among the clinicians, 4.7% were infected; among the nurses, 4.1% were infected. Regarding acquisition, 61.3% of infections (n = 125) were community-acquired and 25.5% (n = 52) were hospital-acquired; no source was identified in 13.2% of cases (n = 27). There was a significant difference between hospital-acquired and community-acquired COVID-19 according to the different HCW categories (p < 0.001), sex (p = 0.041), and being at risk of COVID-19 exposure in the hospital (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in relation to nationality (p = 0498), age (p = 0.119), or the presence of co-morbidities (p = 0.326). Seventy-eight percent (n = 160) had no chronic diseases and 44% presented with fever and an acute respiratory infection (n = 90); all made an uneventful full recovery. The peak of infection acquisition was after the Eid Al Fitr festival.
Conclusions:
HCWs are at an increased risk of COVID-19 in the workplace. The strengthening of infection control measures to prevent exposures from infected patients and colleagues and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is a necessity.
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