Abstract
Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is one of seven coronaviruses that can infect human beings worldwide. In Malaysia, 25 January 2020 is the starting point of the outbreak and the second wave happened when there was a mass religious gathering involving 19,000 participants from various countries occurred at Masjid Sri Petaling from 27 February 2020 to 1 March 2020. In Bera, Pahang, the first COVID-19 case was detected on 22 March 2020 and the patient was also a participant of Ijtima ' Tabligh seeking treatment at Health clinic X. This is the starting point of a healthcare worker (HCW) cluster in one of Klinik Kesihatan in Bera whereas three HCW exposed to the index case tested positive COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to determine the main source of infection, sociodemographic data, the clinical symptoms and preventive measures taken to stop the outbreak. This study is a descriptive study of three case series in their natural clinical setting. Covid-19 samples were done by taking nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, and sent to the laboratory for real-time PCR (RT- PCR). These samples were taken from HCW who were exposed to a positive COVID-19 patient on 17th March 2020 and their close contacts. The instruments used are the secondary data based on Borang Siasatan COVID-19, Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Pahang, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia and the cluster report. Duration of exposure is directly proportional to risk of infection in airborne diseases. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) plays an important role in preventing spread of infection. In fact, WHO 's Infection prevention and control of epidemic and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections in health care described PPE as the only effective measures in controlling infection. Two of the HCW were not practicing proper PPE when interacting with the suspected case, therefore the risk of infection is higher. Current WHO recommendations emphasize not only the importance of PPE but also in doffing procedures and hand hygiene practices. Early detection of COVID-19 cases is crucial in containing the outbreak in Health Clinic X. All three cases and close contacts were quarantined immediately after the first positive result reported. Prompt action taken by Bera Health District was proven successful as no other positive case detected apart from the first three. However, health services provided to the community are affected in the process as all HCW were quarantined. The level of knowledge, attitude and practice especially among HCWs plays an important role in preventing the spread of infection. Other factors that contribute to increase risk of infection are overcrowding, absence of isolation room facilities, and environmental contamination. We conclude that the transmission occurs from P1 who had closer and longer contact with the index case and spread the disease to P2 and P3. PPE plays an important role in preventing spread of infection. Early detection of COVID-19 cases also crucial to curb the outbreak in Health Clinic X. In conclusion, knowledge, attitude and practice especially among HCWs plays an important role in preventing the spread of infection.
Links
- https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-P-56.pdf
- https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/wpforms/1176-1e04940bb5d885bf8711ed1909[...]
BibTeX (Download)
@proceedings{APCPH2022-P-56,
title = {Healthcare worker cluster of COVID-19 at a health clinic in Bera, Pahang: Inside out},
author = {Nurkamila M.H},
url = {https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-P-56.pdf
https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/wpforms/1176-1e04940bb5d885bf8711ed19095a89ed/APCPH2022-P-56-cfbadfd96dc761719c2a79f65618f341.pdf},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-08-02},
urldate = {2022-08-02},
issue = {7},
abstract = {Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is one of seven coronaviruses that can infect human beings worldwide. In Malaysia, 25 January 2020 is the starting point of the outbreak and the second wave happened when there was a mass religious gathering involving 19,000 participants from various countries occurred at Masjid Sri Petaling from 27 February 2020 to 1 March 2020. In Bera, Pahang, the first COVID-19 case was detected on 22 March 2020 and the patient was also a participant of Ijtima ' Tabligh seeking treatment at Health clinic X. This is the starting point of a healthcare worker (HCW) cluster in one of Klinik Kesihatan in Bera whereas three HCW exposed to the index case tested positive COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to determine the main source of infection, sociodemographic data, the clinical symptoms and preventive measures taken to stop the outbreak. This study is a descriptive study of three case series in their natural clinical setting. Covid-19 samples were done by taking nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, and sent to the laboratory for real-time PCR (RT- PCR). These samples were taken from HCW who were exposed to a positive COVID-19 patient on 17th March 2020 and their close contacts. The instruments used are the secondary data based on Borang Siasatan COVID-19, Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Pahang, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia and the cluster report. Duration of exposure is directly proportional to risk of infection in airborne diseases. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) plays an important role in preventing spread of infection. In fact, WHO 's Infection prevention and control of epidemic and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections in health care described PPE as the only effective measures in controlling infection. Two of the HCW were not practicing proper PPE when interacting with the suspected case, therefore the risk of infection is higher. Current WHO recommendations emphasize not only the importance of PPE but also in doffing procedures and hand hygiene practices. Early detection of COVID-19 cases is crucial in containing the outbreak in Health Clinic X. All three cases and close contacts were quarantined immediately after the first positive result reported. Prompt action taken by Bera Health District was proven successful as no other positive case detected apart from the first three. However, health services provided to the community are affected in the process as all HCW were quarantined. The level of knowledge, attitude and practice especially among HCWs plays an important role in preventing the spread of infection. Other factors that contribute to increase risk of infection are overcrowding, absence of isolation room facilities, and environmental contamination. We conclude that the transmission occurs from P1 who had closer and longer contact with the index case and spread the disease to P2 and P3. PPE plays an important role in preventing spread of infection. Early detection of COVID-19 cases also crucial to curb the outbreak in Health Clinic X. In conclusion, knowledge, attitude and practice especially among HCWs plays an important role in preventing the spread of infection.},
howpublished = {published online at https://apcph.cphm.my},
note = {Type: POSTER PRESENTATION; Organisation:},
keywords = {Covid-19, Health clinic, healthcare worker},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}