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Kidney Week

Please note that you are viewing an archived section from 2020 and some content may be unavailable. To unlock all content for 2020, please visit the archives.

Abstract: PO0726

COVID-19 Outbreak and Experience in a Dialysis Unit in the Philippines

Session Information

Category: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

  • 000 Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Authors

  • Cruzado, Ma. Anna Angelica S., Makati Medical Center, Makati City, NCR, Philippines
  • Ferrer, Filoteo, Makati Medical Center, Makati City, NCR, Philippines
Background

Patients on regular dialysis are at an increased risk to COVID-19 due to their multiple comorbidities and exposure in the health care setting. The risk for virus transmission within a dialysis unit is also high emphasizing the importance of implementing infection control measures.The objective of this report is to describe the COVID-19 outbreak in a dialysis unit including interventions done.

Methods

Review of the epidemic course with contact tracing was done from March 14 to May 14, 2020 in the dialysis unit of a tertiary hospital in the Philippines

Results

Of 167 patients, 20 became COVID-19 suspects. Eight were positive - 3 were exposed from the first confirmed case, 2 were handled by a COVID-19 infected healthcare worker (HCW) who was asymptomatic at time of contact while 2 asymptomatic patients tested positive during mass testing. Two of 67 HCWs tested positive were exposed to patients. Key interventions are (a) enhanced screening by mass testing using NPS/OPS RT-PCR of patients and HCWs after identifying 6 patients and 2 HCWs infected with COVID-19 (b) instead of cohort, dialysis of COVID-19 confirmed and suspected cases was done in isolation rooms separate from the dialysis unit (d) adequate personal protective equipment for HCWs and masks for all patients and (e) environmental disinfection especially in the waiting area with strict social distancing and daily screening.

Conclusion

The infection control and preventive actions done halted the increase in cases. Maintaining these strategies for the duration of the pandemic allowed further decline in the rate of infection.

COVID-19 Suspects, Cases and Interventions

Contact Tracing in the Unit