Open AccessRisk of COVID-19 Infection in Healthcare Workers Exposed During Use of Non-invasive Ventilation in a Tertiary Care Hospital in OmanRisk of COVID-19 Infection in Healthcare Workers Exposed During Use of Non-invasive Ventilation in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman
Author(s) -
Adil Al Lawati,
Faryal Khamis,
Samiha Al Habsi,
Khazina Al Dalhami
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
oman medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.395
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 2070-5204
pISSN - 1999-768X
DOI - 10.5001/omj.2021.110
Subject(s) - medicine , sore throat , myalgia , health care , infection control , emergency medicine , transmission (telecommunications) , population , intensive care medicine , surgery , environmental health , engineering , electrical engineering , economics , economic growth
Objectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially those working on the front line, are considered to be at high risk of nosocomial acquisition of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Little is known about the effectiveness of the recommended protective methods as few reports have described spread of the disease in hospital settings among this high-risk population. We describe the hospital-based transmission of SARS-CoV-2 related to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in one of the main tertiary care hospitals in Oman. Methods: All exposed patients and HCWs from Royal Hospital were screened, quarantined, and underwent telephone interviews to stratify their risk factors, clinical symptoms, and exposure risk assessment. Results: A total of 46 HCWs and patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after exposure to an index case who received 48 hours of NIV before diagnosing COVID-19 infection. Over half of the exposed (56.5%; n = 26) were nurses, 26.1% (n = 12) were patients, and 15.2% (n = 7) were doctors. None of the HCWs required hospitalization. Sore throat, fever, and myalgia were the most common symptoms. Conclusions: NIV poses a significant risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission within hospital settings if appropriate infection control measures are not taken.