Application and effects of fever screening system in the prevention of nosocomial infection in the only designated hospital of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Shenzhen, China

• Published in: Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 2020-08, Vol.41 (8), p.978-981
• Main Authors: Huang, Ting, Guo, Yinsheng, Li, Shaxi, Zheng, Yanqun, Lei, Lin, Zeng, Xianhu, Zhong, Qiao, Liu, Yingxia, Liu, Lei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: China; Clinics; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; Coronavirus Infections - prevention & control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Disease prevention; Disease transmission; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Fever; Fever - diagnosis; Fever - therapy; Hospitals; Humans; Letter to the Editor; Nosocomial infection; Nosocomial infections; Nursing; Pandemics - prevention & control; Patients; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Viral - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Viral - prevention & control; Protective equipment; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Triage - standards
• ISSN: 0899-823X; 1559-6834
• DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.119

The difference in NAT-positive rates between the 2 fever clinics was statistically significant (χ2 = 25.059; P < .001). [...]we conclude that this method effectively prevents cross infection of patients in the fever clinic. [...]none of the 1,264 medical staff had been infected. [...]no cross infection had occurred among the 1, 870 other patients hospitalized during the same period. [...]the division of treatment zones between suspected patients and ordinary patients were not clear. [...]suspected patients were neglected and personal protective equipment of medical staff was inadequate in the early stage of the epidemic.