Investigation of a COVID-19 outbreak in a University Cardio-Thoracic Hospital in Cairo: exploration of the risk to healthcare workers and patients
Vol. 62 No. 4 (2021), COVID-19
Vol. 62 No. 4 (2021)

Investigation of a COVID-19 outbreak in a University Cardio-Thoracic Hospital in Cairo: exploration of the risk to healthcare workers and patients

COVID-19
https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2021.62.4.2102
Published 2022-01-04
Isis Mossad
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Samia Girgis
Professor of Clinical Pathology, Head of Infection Control Unit and Vice Director of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
Moshira Halim
Infection Control Unit, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt.
Ihab Shehad
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ihab Shehad
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Wafaa Hussein
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmed Ahmed Abdel-Aziz
Director of Cardio-thoracic Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmed Ahmed Abdel-Aziz
Director of Cardio-thoracic Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ayman Saleh
Vice President of Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ayman Saleh
Vice President of Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ashraf Omar
Dean of Faculty of Medicine and chairman of board of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mahmoud El-Metini
President of Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Mahmoud El-Metini
President of Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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Keywords

COVID-19, Outbreak, Healthcare workers, Hospital

Abstract

Background: Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a challenge to health sectors all over the world. The pandemic arrived in Egypt a few weeks after Europe and Asia, with rapidly rising numbers.  Health care workers (HCWs) are front liners sustaining a major risk of acquiring the infection.

Aim: In this work, we analyse an outbreak of COVID-19 in a University hospital in Cairo involving HCWs of different categories, patients and patients’ accompanying relatives.

Methods: Following the reporting of the first COVID-19 confirmed case; a 55-year-old nurse at the hospital, a total of 645 healthcare workers, patients and patients' accompanying relatives were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay.

Results: Twenty four out of 589 HCWs, 3 out of 42 patient and 4 out of 14 patients' accompanying relatives tested positive for COVID-19. No physicians, pharmacists or technicians were infected. Nursing staff and housekeeping staff were the most at risk of contracting the infection with a risk ratio of 4.99 (95%CI: 1.4-17.6) and 5.08 (95%CI: 1.4-18.4) respectively. Clustering of infected HCWs was observed in paediatrics’ ICU and in the 6th floor of the hospital.

Conclusions: Nursing and housekeeping staff sustain a significantly higher risk of COVID-19 infection compared to other staff categories. The nature of their duties and the frequent unprotected contact between members of these categories may play a role in increasing their risk.  

https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2021.62.4.2102
pdf

References

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