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. 2021 Jul;42(7):797-802.
doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.1315. Epub 2020 Nov 13.

Surveillance and identification of clusters of healthcare workers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Multidimensional interventions at a comprehensive cancer center

Ella J Ariza-Heredia  1 , Elizabeth Frenzel  1 , Sherry Cantu  1 , Mary Carlson  1 , Georgia Thomas  1 , Fareed Khawaja  1 , Issam I Raad  1 , Roy F Chemaly  1
Affiliations

Surveillance and identification of clusters of healthcare workers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Multidimensional interventions at a comprehensive cancer center

Ella J Ariza-Heredia et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. In this report, we describe 3 clusters of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers (HCWs), not associated with patient exposure, and the interventions undertaken to halt ongoing exposure and transmission at our cancer center.

Methods: A cluster of cases was defined as 2 or more cases of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive COVID-19 among HCWs who work in the same unit area at the same time. Cases were identified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing. Contact tracing, facility observations, and infection prevention assessments were performed to investigate the 3 clusters between March 1 and April 30, 2020, with subsequent implementation of containment strategies.

Results: The initial cluster involved HCWs from an ancillary services unit, with contacts traced back to a gathering in a break room in which 1 employee was symptomatic, although not yet diagnosed with COVID-19, with subsequent transmission to 7 employees. The second cluster involved 4 employees and was community related. The third cluster involved only 2 employees with possible transmission while working in the same office at the same time. A step-up approach was implemented to control the spread of infection among employees, including universal masking, enhanced cleaning, increase awareness, and surveillance testing. No nosocomial transmission to patients transpired.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of a hospital-based cluster of COVID-19 infections among HCWs in a cancer hospital describing our steps to mitigate further transmission.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Sketch showing timeline of cluster #1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Summary of the cumulative incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases among our employees and patients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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