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Healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks: a nationwide population-based cohort study

H-H Wu1, C-H Su1, L-J Chien1

  • 1Division of Infection Control and Biosafety, Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, Taipei, Taiwan.

The Journal of Hospital Infection
|March 14, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks significantly impacted patients, with healthcare workers and companions comprising two-thirds of cases. Tailored infection control measures are crucial for mitigating transmission in healthcare settings.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Healthcare-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses significant risks to patients, companions, and healthcare workers (HCWs).
  • Controlling COVID-19 transmission within healthcare settings is paramount to reducing mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiology and characteristics of COVID-19 outbreaks within healthcare facilities.
  • To analyze outbreak-related cases, categorizing them by healthcare worker, patient companion, and patient status.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreak data in Taiwan from January 15, 2020, to July 31, 2021.
  • Categorization of confirmed cases into HCW, companion, and patient groups for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

  • 54 outbreaks and 512 cases were reported, with a median of six cases per outbreak and 12-day duration.
  • Patient cases were older (median 72 years) with higher 30-day mortality (37.4%) compared to HCW (median 41 years, 0% mortality) and companion cases (median 52 years, 1% mortality).
  • Outbreaks predominantly occurred in May-June 2021, with only 5.7% partially and 0.2% fully vaccinated cases.

Conclusions:

  • Healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreaks critically affect patients, with HCWs and companions constituting a majority of cases.
  • Effective mitigation requires multi-pronged infection prevention and control strategies specifically tailored for HCWs, companions, and patients.
  • The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to reduce COVID-19 transmission in healthcare environments.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19Healthcare-associated infectionOutbreak

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