Volume 22, Number 4—April 2016
Research
Transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infections in Healthcare Settings, Abu Dhabi
, Duc T. Nguyen, Bashir Aden, Zyad Al Bandar, Wafa Al Dhaheri, Kheir Abu Elkheir, Ahmed Khudair, Mariam Al Mulla, Feda El Saleh, Hala Imambaccus, Nawal Al Kaabi, Farrukh Amin Sheikh, Jurgen Sasse, Andrew Turner, Laila Abdel Wareth, Stefan Weber, Asma Al Ameri, Wesal Abu Amer, Negar N. Alami, Sudhir Bunga, Lia M. Haynes, Aron J. Hall, Alexander J. Kallen, David T. Kuhar, Huong T. Pham, Kimberly Pringle, Suxiang Tong, Brett L. Whitaker, Susan I. Gerber, and Farida Ismail Al Hosani
Table 3
Healthcare interactions for 14 healthcare workers who became infected with MERS-CoV after caring for a source case-patient, Abu Dhabi, January 1, 2013–May 9, 2014*
| Description of healthcare interaction | Healthcare workers, no. (%) |
|---|---|
| Timing of interaction | |
| Before MERS-CoV diagnosis in source case-patient |
13 (93) |
| Type of interaction† | |
| Patient examination | 7 (50) |
| Procedure with potential aerosol generation‡ | 5 (36) |
| Patient transport | 3 (21) |
| Radiograph | 1 (7) |
| Clerical | 1 (7) |
| Unknown |
1 (7) |
| Duration of interaction† | |
| <10 min | 1 (11) |
| 10–30 min | 6 (43) |
| >30 min | 2 (22) |
| Unknown |
5 (36) |
| PPE use during interaction†§ | |
| Any mask | 6 (43) |
| Surgical mask | 5 (36) |
| N95 respirator¶ | 2 (14) |
| Gloves | 4 (29) |
| Gown | 3 (21) |
| Gown, gloves, and surgical mask or N95 respirator | 3 (21) |
*Of the 19 healthcare worker case-patients identified, 14 occurred in persons who provided care for a source case (cases I-B–I-E, III-B–III-J, III-L); these 14 healthcare workers are described here. MERS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; PPE, personal protective equipment.
†Self-reported information on eye protection is not available.
‡Manipulation of cannula or oxygen mask (n = 3), administration of inhaler or nebulizer treatment (n = 2), intubation (n = 1), suctioning before intubation (n = 1); healthcare workers could perform >1 of these patient care activities.
§Information on eye protection is not available.
¶Of the 2 healthcare workers who reported wearing an N95 respirator, 1 wore N95 inconsistently, and 1 reported wearing gloves and a respirator during all patient care activities but did not consistently wear a gown and recalls an occasion when patient material contaminated her clothing.