A retrospective analysis of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers of south east Assam, India

Authors

  • Debadatta Dhar Chanda Department of Microbiology, Medical College Level VRDL, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India
  • Subhrendu Sekhar Sen Department of Microbiology, Medical College Level VRDL, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India
  • Purnima Rajkhowa Department of Microbiology, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India
  • Basabdatta Choudhury Department of Microbiology, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India
  • Ajit Dey Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India
  • Supriya Upadhyay Department of Microbiology, Medical College Level VRDL, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20221483

Keywords:

HCWs, COVID-19, SARS-COV-2, Respiratory infection

Abstract

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are the frontline warriors, more prone to contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They also have tremendous possibility of serving as transmission vectors to others. In India there is paucity of data on COVID-19 infection among HCWs. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the infection risk, clinical features, and source of infection, transmission and outcome in HCWs to safeguard them and to check further community spread.

Methods: The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of COVID-19 infection among HCWs and to understand the risk factors for infection. Demographic and clinical data of HCWs declared SARS-COV-2 real time RT-PCR positive by VRDL, SMCH, Silchar during June 2020 to July 2021 was obtained from ICMR portal.

Results: On data analysis it was found that during the study period a rate of 3.95% (316 out of 7997 cases) infection was among HCWs. Their mean age was 36 years. With maximum cases among male staffs (57.9%), and most common age group was young generation of 17-29 years. The peak acquisition of infection was in July 2020 during ATSP surveillance with 45.5% of infected HCWs. Of the infected HCWs majority were asymptomatic (74%) Although hospitalization rate was high i.e. 82.9% but severity was low with no mortality. Co-morbidity among infected cases was low 23.4%, usually in the aged group of ≥45 years. Doctors/PGTs and Nurses were the highly affected group.

Conclusions: Safeguarding the HCWs from infection is the critical need for empowering the healthcare system and overcoming any pandemic in future as well.   

Author Biographies

Debadatta Dhar Chanda, Department of Microbiology, Medical College Level VRDL, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

Professor & Head,

PI-Medical College Level VRDL

Department of Microbiology, SMCH, Silchar

Subhrendu Sekhar Sen, Department of Microbiology, Medical College Level VRDL, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

Associate Professor,

CO-PI-Medical College Level VRDL

Department of Microbiology, SMCH, Silchar

Purnima Rajkhowa, Department of Microbiology, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, SMCH, Silchar

Basabdatta Choudhury, Department of Microbiology, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, SMCH, Silchar

Ajit Dey, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

Assistant Professor

Deptt of Social & Preventive Medicine, SMCH, Silchar

Supriya Upadhyay, Department of Microbiology, Medical College Level VRDL, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

Scientist B,

Medical College level VRDL,

Department of Microbiology

References

WHO. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1. Accessed on 20 March 2022.

WHO, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Available at: https://covid19.who.int/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwoJX8BRCZARIs AEWBFMIIPyrg_B-xL9S8jCsny3hG0SRYo4Om2DMLr4INMp bjv7o1D9A4PQ4aAjSUEALw_wcB. Accessed on 5th November 2021.

Andrews MA, Areekal B, Rajesh KR, Krishnan J, Suryakala R, Krishnan B, et al. First confirmed case of COVID-19 infecion in India: A case report. Indian J Med Res. 2020;151:490-2.

Jha S, Soni A, Siddiqui S, Batra N, Goel N, Dey S, et al. Prevalence of Flu-like Symptoms and COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers from India. J Assoc Physicians India. 2020;68:27-29.

Mahajan NN, Mathe A, Patokar GA, Bahirat S, Lokhande PD, Rakh V, et al. Prevalence and Clinical Presentation of COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers at a Dedicated Hospital in India. J Assoc Physicians India. 2020;68(12):16-21.

Dodd RH, Pickles K, Nickel B, Cvejic E, Ayre J, Batcup C, et al. Concerns and motivations about COVID-19 vaccination. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021;21:161-3.

Dagan N, Barda N, Kepten E, Miron O, Perchik S, Katz MA, et al. BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in a nationwide mass vaccination setting. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:1412-23.

Mint. 2-4 per 10,000 people infected after getting vaccinated, Covaxin works against mutant viruses: govt. Available at: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/24-per-10-000-people-infected-after-getting-vaccinated-govt-11619022062884.html. Accessed on 25 April 2021.

Maskari ZA, Blushi AA, Khamis F, Tai AA, Salmi IA, Harthi HA, et al. Characteristics of healthcare workers infected with COVID-19: Across-sectional observational study. Int J of Infect Dis. 2021;102:32-6.

Cheng MP, Papenburg J, Desjardins M, Kanjilal S, Quach C, Libman M, et al. Diagnostic testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome-related Coronavirus 2: A Narrative Review. Ann Intern Med. 2020;172(11):726-34.

Bai Y, Yao L, Wei T, Tian F, Jin DY, Chen L, et al. Presumed asymptomatic carrier transmission of COVID-19. JAMA. 2020;323(14):1406-7.

Day M. Covid-19: four fifths of cases are asymptomatic, China figures indicate. BMJ. 2020;369:m1375.

Sabetian G, Moghadami M, Haghighi HFL, Shahriarirad R, Fallahi MJ, Asmarian N et al. COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study in southwest Iran. Virol J. 2021;18:58.

Chu J, Yang N, Wei Y, Yue H, Zhang F, Zhao J, et al. Clinical characteristics of 54 medical staf with COVID-19: A Retrospective study in a single center in Wuhan, China. J Med Virol. 2020;92:807-13.

Downloads

Published

2022-05-27

How to Cite

Dhar Chanda, D., Sen, S. S., Rajkhowa, P., Choudhury, B., Dey, A., & Upadhyay, S. (2022). A retrospective analysis of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers of south east Assam, India. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 10(6), 1286–1290. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20221483

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles