Control of an Outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in a Tertiary Hospital in Korea

The role of HCWs in MERS-CoV transmission is complex. Although most MERS-CoV-infected HCWs are asymptomatic or have mild disease, fatal infections can occur and HCWs can play a major role in propagating health care facility outbreaks. This investigation highlights the need to continuously review infection control guidance relating to the role of HCWs in MERS-CoV transmission in health care outbreaks, especially as it relates to the complex questions on definition of risky exposures, who to test, and the frequency of MERS-CoV testing; criteria for who to quarantine and for how long; and clearance and return to active duty criteria.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus transmission among health care workers: Implication for infection control

Alfaraj

Al‐Tawfiq

Altuwaijri

et al. 2018

“…Similar incidents among renal and cardiac patients have led to several outbreaks, including the Alhassa cluster in 2013, 3 the King Fahad hospital outbreak in Jeddah in 2014, 11 and the most recent clusters in King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh and South Korea in 2015. 12,13 Similarly, in a major outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus infection in Hong Kong, a patient with renal failure on hemodialysis was responsible for a superspreading event at the Amoy Garden through diarrhea with very high viral load and prolonged viral shedding. [14][15][16] Our index patient in this report had a 2-day history of diarrhea before presentation but had no diarrhea during his course of illness and we could not document prolonged viral shedding due to his early death.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unusual presentation of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus leading to a large outbreak in Riyadh during 2017

Amer

Alqahtani

Alzoman

et al. 2018

This hospital outbreak demonstrated the difficulties in diagnosing pneumonia in patients with renal and cardiac failure, which leads to delayed suspicion of MERS-CoV and hence delay in applying the proper infection control procedures. In MERS-CoV endemic countries there is an urgent need for developing rapid point-of-care testing that would assist emergency department staff in triaging suspected cases of MERS-CoV to ensure timely isolation and management of their primary illness and prevent major MERS-CoV outbreaks.

“…After a hospital-associated outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), we conducted environmental disinfection of patient rooms where confirmed patients with MERS stayed. 5 Although a small proportion of rooms were cleaned regardless of MDRO risks, we observed a decrease in the number of MDROs detected after the MERS outbreak. For a precise analysis, we evaluated disinfection records and microbiologic data together with inpatient numbers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 62%

“…There was a large hospital-associated MERS outbreak in South Korea from May to July 2015, and environmental disinfection was emphasized after the end of the outbreak. 5 Patient rooms where confirmed patients with MERS stayed were cleaned with sodium hypochlorite (500 ppm) 6 times after discharge. Low-level disinfectants including sodium hypochlorite, alcohol, and quaternary ammonium compounds are effective for MERS coronavirus.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of environmental disinfection on the isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus after a hospital-associated outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome

Kim

Lee

et al. 2019

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