Jen Heng Pek, Li Juan Joy Quah, Kuan Peng David Teng, Yi Wen Mathew Yeo, Chan Yu Jimmy Lee
{"title":"Developing the Disaster Medical Responder's Course in Singapore.","authors":"Jen Heng Pek, Li Juan Joy Quah, Kuan Peng David Teng, Yi Wen Mathew Yeo, Chan Yu Jimmy Lee","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.6.1009","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.6.1009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Problem: </strong>Emergency medical teams (EMTs) deployed to mass casualty incidents (MCIs) are required to work outside their usual settings and according to different principles, which may affect their performance and the survival of casualties. Prior to 2013, training offered to domestic EMTs was limited to ad hoc and infrequent simulation exercises.</p><p><strong>Context: </strong>Domestic EMTs are activated from public tertiary hospitals to provide pre-hospital medical support to the Singapore Civil Defence Force and establish a first-aid post (FAP) for triaging, stabilizing and treating casualties. These casualties are then evacuated to public hospitals for further management.</p><p><strong>Action: </strong>Recognizing the need for a more systematic approach to the training of domestic EMTs, the Disaster Medical Responder's Course (the Course) was developed as a multiinstitutional collaboration to equip EMT members attending a MCI with the necessary skills to perform effectively at the FAP.</p><p><strong>Outcome: </strong>The Course was first run in 2013 and is usually offered six to eight times a year. Since June 2019, a total of 414 health-care staff and allied health professionals have participated. There have been numerous revisions of the course content and delivery to reflect the latest concepts in operations and global best practice, as well as developments in educational methodologies.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Preparedness is crucial to optimize the survival and outcomes of casualties. The Course provides standardized training of domestic EMTs and plays a pivotal role in ensuring operational readiness for MCIs in Singapore.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10824630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139651822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marguerite Dalmau, Ramim Sourjah, Ross Andrews, Emma Field, Stephen Lambert
{"title":"Population compliance with COVID-19 directions in December 2021, Queensland, Australia.","authors":"Marguerite Dalmau, Ramim Sourjah, Ross Andrews, Emma Field, Stephen Lambert","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.1018","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.1018","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10789719/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139478986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zen Yang Ang, Nur Zahirah Balqis-Ali, Anis-Syakira Jailani, Yuke-Lin Kong, Shakirah Md Sharif, Weng Hong Fun
{"title":"COVID-19 clusters in Malaysia: characteristics, detection methods and modes of early transmission.","authors":"Zen Yang Ang, Nur Zahirah Balqis-Ali, Anis-Syakira Jailani, Yuke-Lin Kong, Shakirah Md Sharif, Weng Hong Fun","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.1058","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.1058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Effective prevention and control measures are essential to contain outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Understanding the characteristics of case clusters can contribute to determining which prevention and control measures are needed. This study describes the characteristics of COVID-19 case clusters in Malaysia, the method used to detect a cluster's index case and the mode of early transmission, using the seven cluster categories applied in Malaysia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study collected publicly available data on COVID-19 clusters occurring in Malaysia from 1 March 2020 to 31 May 2021. The characteristics of cases were described by category, and their associations with several outcomes were analysed. Descriptive analyses were performed to explore the method used to detect the index case and the mode of early transmission, according to cluster category.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2188 clusters were identified. The workplace cluster category had the largest proportion of clusters (51.5%, 1126/2188 clusters), while the custodial settings category had the largest median cluster size (178 cases per cluster) and longest median duration of cluster (51 days). The high-risk groups category had the highest mortality. There were significant differences in cluster size, duration and rate of detection across the categories. Targeted screening was most commonly used to detect index cases, especially in custodial settings, and in imported and workplace clusters. Household-social and social-workplace contacts were the most common modes of early transmission across most categories.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Targeted screening might effectively reduce the size and duration of COVID-19 clusters. Measures to prevent and control COVID-19 outbreaks should be continually adjusted based on ongoing assessments of the unique context of each cluster.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10789722/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139478841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Saori Kasuya, Akiko Imai, Kazuhiro Uchimura, Akihiro Ohkado, Lisa Kawatsu
{"title":"Epidemiology of latent tuberculosis infection in Japan-born and foreign-born children in Japan.","authors":"Saori Kasuya, Akiko Imai, Kazuhiro Uchimura, Akihiro Ohkado, Lisa Kawatsu","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.1008","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.1008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to compare the epidemiology of notifications of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among Japan-born and foreign-born children in Japan between 2010 and 2020, and to assess the language used during LTBI case interviews with parents or caregivers of foreign-born children with LTBI during 2019.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Our study consisted of two parts: (1) an analysis of national data from the Japan Tuberculosis Surveillance (JTBS) system on the epidemiology of LTBI among Japan-born and foreign-born children in Japan, and (2) a survey of staff at public health centres that had registered at least one foreign-born child aged ≤ 14 years with LTBI. Data were extracted from the JTBS system for all children aged ≤ 14 years who were newly notified as having LTBI between 2010 and 2020, and analysed to determine trends, characteristics and treatment outcomes. Staff at relevant public health centres completed a self-administered survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 7160 Japan-born and 320 foreign-born children were notified as having LTBI between 2010 and 2020. Compared with Japan-born children, foreign-born children notified as having LTBI were more likely to be older, have their mother or sibling as their source of infection and have LTBI detected via a routine school health check. At case interviews, the use of language interpretation services was limited, even when both parents were non-Japanese. No interview was directly conducted with children themselves, not even with school-aged children.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Foreign-born children and their parents may be unfamiliar with the system of testing for TB infection and the diagnosis of LTBI in Japan in school settings. Public health centres are required to provide education to patients and their families and care that takes into account cultural and linguistic differences. However, the provision of language support during case interviews may need strengthening.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10789721/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139478972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ung Thi Hong Trang, Hoang Vu Mai Phuong, Nguyen Huy Hoang, Nguyen Vu Son, Le Thi Thanh, Nguyen Le Khanh Hang, Vuong Duc Cuong, Tran Thi Thu Huong, Nguyen Thi Hien, Nguyen Phuong Anh, Le Quynh Mai
{"title":"Circulation of human respiratory syncytial virus and new ON1 genotype in northern Viet Nam, 2017-2020.","authors":"Ung Thi Hong Trang, Hoang Vu Mai Phuong, Nguyen Huy Hoang, Nguyen Vu Son, Le Thi Thanh, Nguyen Le Khanh Hang, Vuong Duc Cuong, Tran Thi Thu Huong, Nguyen Thi Hien, Nguyen Phuong Anh, Le Quynh Mai","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.990","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.4.990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary cause of paediatric severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) worldwide, especially in developing countries. We investigated the genetic characteristics of RSV in northern Viet Nam to determine the prevalence and distribution of subtypes as well as the diversity and transmission patterns of genotypes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In two facilities, from January 2017 to December 2020, 1563 clinical specimens were collected from paediatric patients hospitalized with SARI and tested for RSV. Selected positive samples underwent sequencing analysis targeting the second hypervariable region of the <i>G</i> gene using next-generation sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The RSV positivity rate was 28.02% (438/1563 samples), and prevalence was highest in children aged < 1 year (43.84%; 192/438). Subtype RSV-A accounted for 53.42% (234/438) of cases, RSV-B for 45.89% (201/438), and there was coinfection in 0.68% (3/438). Both subtypes cocirculated and peaked during August-September in each year of the study. Phylogenetic analysis showed that RSV-A samples belonged to the ON1 genotype, which has three subgenotypes: ON1.1, ON1.2 and ON1.3. However, we did not find the 72-nucleotide duplication in the second hypervariable region of the <i>G</i> gene, a characteristic of genotype ON1, in any RSV-A samples. RSV-B samples belonged to genotype BA9.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our results provide additional molecular characterization of RSV infections in Viet Nam. Specially, our study is the first to report the absence of the 72-nucleotide duplication in the <i>G</i> gene of RSV-A genotype ON1 in Viet Nam, which may help in understanding the genetic evolution of RSV and be useful for vaccine development in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10646430/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138463018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ulysses Oli, Rose Hosea, B Priya Lt Balasubramaniam, Freda Timbi, Gary Nou
{"title":"Challenges of establishing an emergency medical team in Papua New Guinea.","authors":"Ulysses Oli, Rose Hosea, B Priya Lt Balasubramaniam, Freda Timbi, Gary Nou","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.6.1036","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.6.1036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Problem: </strong>Papua New Guinea (PNG) is situated in the Pacific Ocean and has experienced multiple natural disasters and disease outbreaks. However, PNG lacks the ability to rapidly and systematically deploy trained personnel to provide surge capacity in response to major national disasters. It was therefore decided to establish a national emergency medical team (EMT) in PNG.</p><p><strong>Context: </strong>PNG's responses to the 2018 earthquake in the Highlands Region and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic required assistance from international EMTs. PNG began developing its own EMT in 2019, coinciding with the development of other Pacific EMTs.</p><p><strong>Action: </strong>PNG's EMT project was initiated in 2019 with the creation of a technical working group. By 2021, a focal point had been identified, standard operating procedures had been drafted and training of EMT members had been completed. Pilot deployments of the national EMT members contributed to the COVID-19 response during 2021.</p><p><strong>Outcome: </strong>Four major challenges were identified during the early phase of PNG's national EMT development: introducing the concept of EMTs in an EMT-naïve landscape; integrating the national EMT into existing PNG National Department of Health organizational structures; assembling adequate members at short notice to respond to disasters; and securing funding for deployment.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Solutions identified for these challenges included strengthening stakeholder involvement through engagement in the development process and participation in technical working groups and consultative group discussions, offering exposure to other Pacific-based EMTs, and creating incentive schemes for EMT members and their place of employment.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10645494/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134650014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yoshiyuki Sugishita, Yoshiko Somura, Nobuyuki Abe, Yasuko Murai, Yoshiaki Koike, Eriko Suzuki, Mayu Yanagibayashi, Aya Kayebeta, Atsushi Yoshida
{"title":"Multisource surveillance conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.","authors":"Yoshiyuki Sugishita, Yoshiko Somura, Nobuyuki Abe, Yasuko Murai, Yoshiaki Koike, Eriko Suzuki, Mayu Yanagibayashi, Aya Kayebeta, Atsushi Yoshida","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.3.978","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.3.978","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (the Games) were held from 23 July to 5 September 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, after a 1-year delay due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government was responsible for monitoring and responding to infectious disease outbreaks other than COVID-19 during the Games. A multisource surveillance system was used from 1 July to 12 September 2021 for the early detection and rapid response to infectious diseases. This included routine notifiable disease surveillance, sentinel surveillance, syndromic surveillance, cluster surveillance, ambulance transfer surveillance and the Tokyo Infectious Alert system. Daily reports were disseminated summarizing the data collected from the multisource surveillance system. No case of infectious disease under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government system required a response during the Games. The multisource surveillance was useful for providing intelligence during the Games and, if required, could contribute to the early detection and rapid response to outbreaks during other mass gatherings. The system could be improved to overcome the challenges implied by the findings of this multisource surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10632092/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89719744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rio Lat Magpantay, Ray Justin Cacho, Ventura, Mariz Zheila C Blanco, Apple Charm Agulto, Karen B Lonogan, Rosario P Pamintuan, Charmaine Madria-Barangan
{"title":"Creating \"boots on the ground\": addressing the shortage of field epidemiologists in the Philippines through intermediate-level training programmes.","authors":"Rio Lat Magpantay, Ray Justin Cacho, Ventura, Mariz Zheila C Blanco, Apple Charm Agulto, Karen B Lonogan, Rosario P Pamintuan, Charmaine Madria-Barangan","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.3.1053","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.3.1053","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Problem: </strong>As of 2022, only 49 graduates of the Philippines' Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) were employed by the Philippine Government, emphasizing the urgent need to increase the number of practicing field epidemiologists to better equip the country for public health emergencies.</p><p><strong>Context: </strong>The FETP-Intermediate Course (IC) curriculum is based mainly on the module of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that was incorporated into the Philippine context. It consists of five 1-2-week lecture series that provide participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to conduct job-relevant field projects. Individual projects are the centrepiece of the FETP-IC, requiring trainees to investigate outbreaks, design and develop protocols, conduct field data collection, manage data, analyse data, interpret data, write reports and deliver oral presentations.</p><p><strong>Action: </strong>To address the shortage of practicing field epidemiologists in the Philippines, a subnational initiative in Northern Luzon was implemented.</p><p><strong>Outcome: </strong>Within 3 years, the two FETP-IC subnational training programmes have produced 42 applied epidemiologists who will strengthen epidemiology and surveillance in their respective localities. As of February 2023, 92 studies have been conducted, including 39 outbreak investigations, 37 data quality analysis/process improvement projects, 10 epidemiological studies and six surveillance evaluations.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>By training and deploying skilled epidemiologists to local health offices and hospitals, the programme is helping to improve the capacity of the health system to respond to public health threats and protect the health of the population. The programme's emphasis on practical training and real-world experience is an effective way to build a strong and sustainable epidemiological workforce.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10632096/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89719740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hwee Yong Trevor Tan, Joachim Wen Kien Yau, Matthias Paul Han Sim Toh, Shawn Vasoo, Yee Sin Leo
{"title":"Coronavirus disease and home recovery: a Singapore perspective.","authors":"Hwee Yong Trevor Tan, Joachim Wen Kien Yau, Matthias Paul Han Sim Toh, Shawn Vasoo, Yee Sin Leo","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.5.1003","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.5.1003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>At the beginning of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Singapore, the strategy initially involved aggressive ring-fencing of infections, before pivoting towards managing recurrent local interspersed outbreaks of COVID-19. A key feature of Singapore's efforts to preserve health-care capacity was the implementation of the nationwide Home Recovery Programme (HRP), whereby patients were allowed to recover at home as long as they met certain criteria. The programme was centrally coordinated by Singapore's Ministry of Health and was supported by telemedicine providers, primary care physicians and government agencies. This report aims to highlight Singapore's experience in coordinating and implementing the HRP, the challenges faced and the outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Published and internal data from the Ministry of Health in Singapore, along with policy documents, were reviewed together with a brief literature review of similar programmes conducted globally.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Implementation of the HRP led to the majority of patients (98%) recovering from COVID-19 in the outpatient setting, with similar mortality rates to inpatient settings. Hospitalization rates for COVID-19 cases were reduced as compared to previously, alleviating strain on the health-care system.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The HRP was largely successful at preventing health-care capacities from being overwhelmed, while keeping fatalities to a minimum. Nonetheless, the risks of emergent variants of concern remain present, and heightened vigilance and potential modification of existing protocols based on fluctuations in virulence and infectivity are still needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10632601/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134650011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lily Anne N Safilo, Ray Justin C Ventura, Mariz Zheila C Blanco, Karen B Lonogan, Rosario P Pamintuan, Rio L Magpantay
{"title":"Descriptive analysis of a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak among health-care workers in a regional hospital in the Philippines.","authors":"Lily Anne N Safilo, Ray Justin C Ventura, Mariz Zheila C Blanco, Karen B Lonogan, Rosario P Pamintuan, Rio L Magpantay","doi":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.3.1050","DOIUrl":"10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.3.1050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>On 25 July 2022, trainees from the Field Epidemiology Training Programme in Northern Luzon, Philippines were sent to conduct an epidemiological investigation of six confirmed cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among staff of a regional hospital in Mountain Province. The investigation had three objectives: to profile the cases, identify the source and mode of transmission, and recommend prevention and control measures.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Descriptive epidemiology was used to investigate the outbreak, with the standard case definition issued by the Philippine Department of Health.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 167 hospital personnel and interns tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection between 6 July and 31 August 2022, with a peak in the number of cases on 20 July. Among the cases, 57 (34%) had a history of travel, with 41 (25%) having travelled to Boracay island to attend team-building activities. Most cases were asymptomatic, and the most affected group was those aged 30-34 years. The highest number of cases occurred among nurses. It was discovered that the team-building activities on Boracay did not strictly adhere to safety protocols.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This outbreak suggests that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among health-care workers can occur through contact with other staff members outside of the hospital setting and highlights the importance of strict adherence to safety protocols to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.</p>","PeriodicalId":31512,"journal":{"name":"Western Pacific Surveillance and Response","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10632097/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89719741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}