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Investigating COVID-19 transmission in a tertiary hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam using social network analysis

Ngoc-Anh Thi Hoang1,2, Thai Quang Pham2,3, Ha-Linh Quach1,2

  • 1National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.

Tropical Medicine & International Health : TM & IH
|October 1, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Non-clinical hospital staff significantly impacted COVID-19 transmission during a large Vietnam outbreak. Social network analysis revealed their central role, highlighting the need for inclusive prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Network Science

Background:

  • A large COVID-19 outbreak occurred in a Hanoi hospital in March 2020, leading to extensive lockdowns and quarantines.
  • This event represented the largest hospital outbreak in Vietnam to date, affecting thousands of patients and staff.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission patterns during this major hospital outbreak.
  • To utilize social network analysis (SNA) to understand individual-level transmission dynamics and identify key transmission drivers.

Main Methods:

  • Constructed a directed relational network of confirmed cases.
  • Calculated network metrics including degree, betweenness, closeness, and eigenvector centrality.
  • Analyzed network components and modularity to identify influential sub-networks.

Main Results:

  • Identified 68 connections among 46 confirmed cases, with ancillary support staff forming the largest group (58.7%).
  • Ancillary support staff were disproportionately represented among the most influential cases and within dominant sub-networks.
  • Non-clinical ancillary support staff, responsible for room service and food distribution, played a crucial role in transmission.

Conclusions:

  • Non-clinical ancillary support staff were key drivers of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in this hospital outbreak.
  • A comprehensive approach to hospital outbreak prevention must include non-clinical staff.
  • Social network analysis is a valuable tool for understanding hospital-based infection patterns.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19Vietnamhospital outbreaknosocomial infectionsocial network analyses

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