Tracing COVID-19 Source of Infection Among Health Personnel in a Pediatric Hospital

Abstract

Health personnel (HP) have been universally recognized as especially susceptible to COVID-19. In Mexico, our home country, HP has one of the highest death rates from the disease. From the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, an office for initial attention for HP and a call center were established at a COVID-19 national reference pediatric hospital, aimed at early detection of COVID-19 cases and stopping local transmission. The detection and call center implementation and operation, and tracing methodology are described here. A total of 1,042 HP were evaluated, with 221 positive cases identified (7.7% of all HP currently working and 26% of the HP tested). Community contagion was most prevalent (46%), followed by other HP (27%), household (14%), and hospitalized patients (13%). Clusters and contact network analysis are discussed. This is one of the first reports that address the details of the implementation process of contact tracing in a pediatric hospital from the perspective of a hybrid hospital with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 areas.

The Infection of Healthcare Workers and the Reinfection of Patients by Omicron Variant — Jiangsu Province, China, December 2022 to January 2023

“…The proportion of infected individuals varied by region: 73.6% in Eastern Europe, 59.5% in Central Europe, 21.4% in Western Europe, 30.9% in North America, and 25.1% in Southern Latin America ( 3 ). In addition, healthcare workers (HCWs) have been identified as particularly vulnerable with a higher risk of infection compared to the general population ( 4 ). An Italian study also reported that HCWs were more than twice as likely to be re-infected compared to non-HCWs ( 5 ).…”

“…The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in December 2019 and rapidly spread across the globe (1-2). As of November 14, 2021, approximately 3.8 billion people had been infected or re-infected, accounting for 43.9% of the global population, with a peak in April 2021 (3). The proportion of infected individuals varied by region: 73.6% in Eastern Europe, 59.5% in Central Europe, 21.4% in Western Europe, 30.9% in North America, and 25.1% in Southern Latin America (3).…”

“…As of November 14, 2021, approximately 3.8 billion people had been infected or re-infected, accounting for 43.9% of the global population, with a peak in April 2021 (3). The proportion of infected individuals varied by region: 73.6% in Eastern Europe, 59.5% in Central Europe, 21.4% in Western Europe, 30.9% in North America, and 25.1% in Southern Latin America (3). In addition, healthcare workers (HCWs) have been identified as particularly vulnerable with a higher risk of infection compared to the general population (4).…”

Allowing access to parents/caregivers into COVID-19 hospitalization areas does not increase infections among health personnel in a pediatric hospital

“…The epidemiological surveillance of all cases and contacts was carried out from April 2020 to November 2020. The tracing methodology within our hospital was published by de la Rosa-Zamboni et al ( 25 ).…”