Health care facilities should trace all health care workers who had protected or unprotected contacts with patients with suspected, probable, or confirmed MERS-CoV infection.
a) Testing (Nasopharyngeal swabs) for MERS-CoV is recommended even if asymptomatic.
b) Testing should not be done before 24 hours of exposure.
c) Single test only required unless symptomatic where repeated testing is required.
d) Contact should be off work until the test is reported as negative.
a) Testing for MERS-CoV is not recommended if asymptomatic.
b) Continue to work in the hospital unless they become symptomatic.
a) Testing for MERS-CoV is not recommended if asymptomatic.
b) Continue to work in the hospital unless they become symptomatic.
a) Patients can be exposed to MERS patients during pre-diagnosis phase or due to failure of recommended isolation precautions.
b) Testing for MERS-CoV should be done 24 hours or more after the last exposure.
c) Such patients should be followed for symptoms for 14 days after exposure with testing to be done upon development of symptoms suggestive of MERS.
The infection control unit of the facility or equivalent there of should trace all contacts within the HCF and proactively call by phone all contacts to assess their health daily for a total of 14 days. Contacts should also be instructed to report immediately to the Staff Health Clinic or Emergency Room if they develop upper or lower respiratory illness.
a) Investigation should be under guidance of Infection Prevention and Control Unit of the hospital, Regional Command and Control Center and Central Command and Control Center.
b) More testing of asymptomatic HCW may be required.
c) Cohorting or closure of units should be in consultation with the regional command and control center.
d) Surge plan to be in place in case of large outbreak.
