Volume 20, Number 12—December 2014
Dispatch
Health Care Worker Contact with MERS Patient, Saudi Arabia
Aron J. Hall
, Jerome I. Tokars, Samar A. Badreddine, Ziad Bin Saad, Elaine Furukawa, Malak Al Masri, Lia M. Haynes, Susan I. Gerber, David T. Kuhar, Congrong Miao, Suvang U. Trivedi, Mark A. Pallansch, Rana Hajjeh, and Ziad A. Memish
, Jerome I. Tokars, Samar A. Badreddine, Ziad Bin Saad, Elaine Furukawa, Malak Al Masri, Lia M. Haynes, Susan I. Gerber, David T. Kuhar, Congrong Miao, Suvang U. Trivedi, Mark A. Pallansch, Rana Hajjeh, and Ziad A. Memish
Table
Contact characteristics for 48 health care workers who had contact with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus index case–patient, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 2012
| Characteristic | No. (%) |
|---|---|
| Unit where contact occurred | |
| Intensive care unit | 21 (43.8) |
| Consult | 7 (14.6) |
| Respiratory treatment | 7 (14.6) |
| Respiratory disease unit | 4 (8.3) |
| Emergency department | 3 (6.3) |
| Bronchoscopy | 2 (4.2) |
| Infectious disease unit | 2 (4.2) |
| Virology laboratory | 1 (2.1) |
| Infection control |
1 (2.1) |
| Type of contact* | |
| Came within 1 m of patient | 43 (89.6) |
| Touched patient | 41 (85.4) |
| Touched patient's bedding, equipment,, or body fluids | 30 (62.5) |
| Collected clinical specimens | 19 (39.6) |
| Emptied bedpan |
11 (22.9) |
| Maximum contact duration during any shift | |
| <1 h | 28 (58.3) |
| 1–2 h | 4 (8.3) |
| 3–4 h | 4 (8.3) |
| ≥5 h |
12 (25.0) |
| Care provided to patient* | |
| Physical examination | 24 (50.0) |
| Assessment of vital signs | 19 (39.6) |
| Lifting or positioning | 15 (31.3) |
| Medication administration | 14 (29.2) |
| Blood collection | 14 (29.2) |
| Linen change | 12 (25.0) |
| Bathing | 11 (22.9) |
| Feeding | 11 (22.9) |
| Intravenous catheter placement | 11 (22.9) |
| Radiography |
5 (10.4) |
| Present during medical procedures* | |
| Airway suction | 24 (50.0) |
| Nebulizer treatment | 14 (29.2) |
| Sputum induction | 11 (22.9) |
| Bronchoscopy | 4 (8.3) |
| Intubation |
3 (6.3) |
| Infection control precautions used during patient contact | * |
| Hand hygiene | 48 (100) |
| Gloves | 45 (93.8) |
| Surgical mask | 4 (87.5) |
| Gown | 19 (39.6) |
| N95 mask | 16 (33.3) |
| Eye protection | 0 |
*Because >1 response could be selected for these characteristics, percentages may total >100%.
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Page updated: March 02, 2015
Page reviewed: March 02, 2015
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