Absence of Nosocomial Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Due to SARS-CoV-2 in the Prepandemic Phase in Hong Kong

Overview

Journal Am J Infect Control

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2020 May 29

PMID 32461068

Citations 14

Authors

Vincent C C Cheng

Shuk-Ching Wong

Vivien W M Chuang

Simon Y C So

Jonathan H K Chen

Siddharth Sridhar

Kelvin K W To

Jasper F W Chan

Ivan F N Hung

Pak-Leung Ho

Kwok-Yung Yuen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: To describe the infection control strategy to achieve zero nosocomial transmission of symptomatic coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to SARS-CoV-2 during the prepandemic phase (the first 72 days after announcement of pneumonia cases in Wuhan) in Hong Kong.

Methods: Administrative support with the aim of zero nosocomial transmission by reducing elective clinical services, decanting wards, mobilizing isolation facilities, providing adequate personal protective equipment, coordinating laboratory network for rapid molecular diagnosis under 4-tier active surveillance for hospitalized patients and outpatients, and organizing staff forum and training was implemented under the framework of preparedness plan in Hospital Authority. The trend of SARS-CoV-2 in the first 72 days was compared with that of SARS-CoV 2003.

Results: Up to day 72 of the epidemic, 130 (0.40%) of 32,443 patients being screened confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Compared with SARS outbreak in 2003, the SARS-CoV-2 case load constituted 8.9% (130 SARS-CoV-2/1458 SARS-CoV) of SARS-CoV infected cases at day 72 of the outbreak. The incidences of nosocomial acquisition of SARS-CoV per 1,000 SARS-patient-day and per 100 SARS-patient-admission were 7.9 and 16.9, respectively, which were significantly higher than the corresponding incidences of SARS-CoV-2 (zero infection, P <.001).

Conclusions: Administrative support to infection control could minimize the risk of nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Citing Articles

Infection of healthcare workers despite a high vaccination rate during the fifth wave of COVID-19 due to Omicron variant in Hong Kong.

Wong S, Chan V, Yuen L, AuYeung C, Leung J, Li C Infect Prev Pract. 2022; 5(1):100261.

PMID: 36465098 PMC: 9705264. DOI: 10.1016/j.infpip.2022.100261.

Evolution and Control of COVID-19 Epidemic in Hong Kong.

Wong S, Au A, Lo J, Ho P, Hung I, To K Viruses. 2022; 14(11).

PMID: 36423128 PMC: 9698160. DOI: 10.3390/v14112519.

Metrics and indicators used to assess health system resilience in response to shocks to health systems in high income countries-A systematic review.

Fleming P, ODonoghue C, Almirall-Sanchez A, Mockler D, Keegan C, Cylus J Health Policy. 2022; 126(12):1195-1205.

PMID: 36257867 PMC: 9556803. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2022.10.001.

Decreased Antibiotic Consumption Coincided with Reduction in Bacteremia Caused by Bacterial Species with Respiratory Transmission Potential during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Cheng V, Wong S, So S, Chen J, Chau P, Au A Antibiotics (Basel). 2022; 11(6).

PMID: 35740153 PMC: 9219721. DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11060746.

New Zealand Emergency Department COVID-19 Preparedness: a cross-sectional survey and narrative view.

Howard M, Chambers C, Mohr N BMJ Open. 2022; 12(2):e053611.

PMID: 35177449 PMC: 8889447. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053611.

References

Cheng V, Wong S, Chen J, Yip C, Chuang V, Tsang O . Escalating infection control response to the rapidly evolving epidemiology of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to SARS-CoV-2 in Hong Kong. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2020; 41(5):493-498. PMC: 7137535. DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.58. View

Epstein L . The role of the hospital administrator in the control of nosocomial infections. Rev Infect Dis. 1981; 3(4):785-9. DOI: 10.1093/clinids/3.4.785. View

Puro V, Nicastri E . SARS and the removal of personal protective equipment. CMAJ. 2004; 170(6):930. PMC: 359412. DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1031700. View

Chan J, Yip C, To K, Tang T, Wong S, Leung K . Improved Molecular Diagnosis of COVID-19 by the Novel, Highly Sensitive and Specific COVID-19-RdRp/Hel Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Assay Validated and with Clinical Specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 2020; 58(5). PMC: 7180250. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00310-20. View

Maunder R, Lancee W, Balderson K, Bennett J, Borgundvaag B, Evans S . Long-term psychological and occupational effects of providing hospital healthcare during SARS outbreak. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007; 12(12):1924-32. PMC: 3291360. DOI: 10.3201/eid1212.060584. View

Cheng V, Tai J, Wong L, Chan J, Li I, To K . Prevention of nosocomial transmission of swine-origin pandemic influenza virus A/H1N1 by infection control bundle. J Hosp Infect. 2010; 74(3):271-7. PMC: 7118838. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2009.09.009. View

Delory T, Seringe E, Antoniotti G, Novakova I, Goulenok C, Paysant I . Prolonged delay for controlling KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae outbreak: the role of clinical management. Am J Infect Control. 2015; 43(10):1070-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2015.05.021. View

To K, Tsang O, Leung W, Tam A, Wu T, Lung D . Temporal profiles of viral load in posterior oropharyngeal saliva samples and serum antibody responses during infection by SARS-CoV-2: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020; 20(5):565-574. PMC: 7158907. DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30196-1. View

Nienhaus A, Kesavachandran C, Wendeler D, Haamann F, Dulon M . Infectious diseases in healthcare workers - an analysis of the standardised data set of a German compensation board. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2012; 7(1):8. PMC: 3474162. DOI: 10.1186/1745-6673-7-8. View

10.

Wang J, Zhou M, Liu F . Reasons for healthcare workers becoming infected with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. J Hosp Infect. 2020; 105(1):100-101. PMC: 7134479. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.03.002. View

11.

Cheng V, Chan J, To K, Yuen K . Clinical management and infection control of SARS: lessons learned. Antiviral Res. 2013; 100(2):407-19. PMC: 7132413. DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2013.08.016. View

12.

Cheng V, Wong S, To K, Ho P, Yuen K . Preparedness and proactive infection control measures against the emerging novel coronavirus in China. J Hosp Infect. 2020; 104(3):254-255. PMC: 7134450. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.010. View

13.

Cheng V, Lau S, Woo P, Yuen K . Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus as an agent of emerging and reemerging infection. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2007; 20(4):660-94. PMC: 2176051. DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00023-07. View

14.

Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, Zhu F, Liu X, Zhang J . Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA. 2020; 323(11):1061-1069. PMC: 7042881. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2020.1585. View

15.

Lai T, Yu W . The lessons of SARS in Hong Kong. Clin Med (Lond). 2010; 10(1):50-3. PMC: 4954481. DOI: 10.7861/clinmedicine.10-1-50. View

16.

Cheng V, Tai J, Lee W, Chan W, Wong S, Chen J . Infection control preparedness for human infection with influenza A H7N9 in Hong Kong. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2015; 36(1):87-92. DOI: 10.1017/ice.2014.2. View