The epidemic burden on prisons in Lombardy (Italy) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: the transmission and measures of prevention in detention facilities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruggero Giuliani ◽  
Sara Mazzilli ◽  
Teresa Sebastiani ◽  
Giorgia Cocca ◽  
Raffaella Bortolotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lombardy Region ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Detention Facilities

Purpose Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community highlighted a potential risk of epidemics occurring inside prisons. Consequently, specific operational guidelines were promptly released, and containment measures were quickly implemented in prisons. This paper aims to describe the spread of COVID-19 in detention facilities within the Lombardy region of Italy during March to July 2020, and the impact of the prevention and control measures implemented. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive retrospective analysis of case distribution was performed for all COVID-19 cases identified among people in detention (PiD) and prison officers (POs). A comparison of the epidemic burden affecting different populations and a correlation analysis between the number of cases that occurred and prevention measures implemented were also carried out. Findings From this study, it emerged that POs were at a high risk of contracting COVID-19. This study observed a delay in the occurrence of cases among PiD and substantial heterogeneity in the size of outbreaks across different prisons. Correlation between reported cases among PiD and registered sick leave taken by POs suggested the latter contributed to introducing the infection into prison settings. Finally, number of cases among PiD inversely correlated with the capacity of each prison to identify and set up dedicated areas for medical isolation. Originality/value Prevention and control measures when adopted in a timely manner were effective in protecting PiD. According to the findings, POs are a population at high risk for acquiring and transmitting COVID-19 and should be prioritized for testing, active case finding and vaccination. This study highlights the critical importance of including prison settings within emergency preparedness plans.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 on Pedestrian Flow Patterns in Urban POIs—An Example from Beijing

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 479
Author(s):  
Yihang Li ◽  
Liyan Xu
Keyword(s):  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Pedestrian Flow ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Government Control ◽  
Functional Categories ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major challenge for society as a whole, and analyzing the impact of the spread of the epidemic and government control measures on the travel patterns of urban residents can provide powerful help for city managers to designate top-level epidemic prevention policies and specific epidemic prevention measures. This study investigates whether it is more appropriate to use groups of POIs with similar pedestrian flow patterns as the unit of study rather than functional categories of POIs. In this study, we analyzed the hour-by-hour pedestrian flow data of key locations in Beijing before, during, and after the strict epidemic prevention and control period, and we found that the pedestrian flow patterns differed greatly in different periods by using a composite clustering index; we interpreted the clustering results from two perspectives: groups of pedestrian flow patterns and functional categories. The results show that depending on the specific stage of epidemic prevention and control, the number of unique pedestrian flow patterns decreased from four before the epidemic to two during the strict control stage and then increased to six during the initial resumption of work. The restrictions on movement are correlated with most of the visitations, and the release of restrictions led to an increase in the variety of unique pedestrian flow patterns compared to that in the pre-restriction period, even though the overall number of visitations decreased, indicating that social restrictions led to differences in the flow patterns of POIs and increased social distance.

scholarly journals Impact of the Inflow Population From Outbreak Areas on the COVID-19 Epidemic in Yunnan Province and the Recommended Control Measures: A Preliminary Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhong Sun ◽  
Guozhong He ◽  
Ninghao Huang ◽  
Hongyu Chen ◽  
Shuwei Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Proper Management ◽  
Outbreak Areas ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Background: COVID-19 developed into a global pandemic in 2020 and poses challenges regarding the prevention and control capabilities of countries. A large number of inbound travelers from other regions could lead to a renewed outbreak of COVID-19 in the local regions. Globally, as a result of the imbalance in the control of the epidemic, all countries are facing the risk of a renewed COVID-19 outbreak brought about by travelers from epidemic areas. Therefore, studies on a proper management of the inbound travelers are urgent.Methods: We collected a total of 4,733,414 inbound travelers and 174 COVID-19 diagnosed patients in Yunnan province from 21 January 2020 to 20 February 2020. Data on place of origin, travel history, age, and gender, as well as whether they had suspected clinical manifestations for inbound travelers in Yunnan were collected. The impact of inbound travelers on the local epidemic was analyzed with a collinear statistical analysis and the effect of the control measures on the epidemic was evaluated with a sophisticated modeling approach.Results: Of the 174 COVID-19 patients, 60.9% were not from Yunnan, and 76.4% had a history of travel in Hubei. The amount of new daily cases in Yunnan was significant correlated with the number of inbound travelers from Hubei and suspected cases among them. Using Susceptible–Exposed–Infectious–Recovered (SEIR) model analysis, we found that the prevention and control measures dropped the local R0 down to 1.07 in Yunnan province.Conclusions: Our preliminary analysis showed that the proper management of inbound travelers from outbreak areas has a significantly positive effect on the prevention and control of the virus. In the process of resettlement, some effective measures taken by Yunnan province may provide an important reference for preventing the renewed COVID-19 outbreak in other regions.

scholarly journals Changes in Prevalence of Nosocomial Infection Pre- and Post-COVID-19 pandemic from a Tertiary Hospital in China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunmei Su ◽  
Zhiqin Zhang ◽  
Xu Zhao ◽  
Hanlin Peng ◽  
Yi Hong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nosocomial Infection ◽  
Nosocomial Infections ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Gastrointestinal Infections ◽  
Effective Prevention ◽  
Oral Infections ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Nosocomial infections (NIs) are an important cause of mortality, and increasing evidence reveals that the prevalence of NIs can be reduced through effective prevention and control measures. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 pandemic on NIs.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the prevalence of NIs before and after COVID-19 pandemic for six months in the Children’s Hospital of Soochow University.Results: A total of 39,914 patients in 2019 and 34,645 patients in 2020 were admitted to the hospital during the study. There were 1.39% (481/34645) of patients with NIs in 2020, which was significantly lower than the 2.56% (1021/39914) of patients in 2019. The rate of critical and fatal cases was also decreased. Except for the ICU, the prevalence of nosocomial infection in most departments decreased from 2019 to 2020. Regarding the source of infections, a significant reduction was mainly observed in respiratory (0.99% vs 0.42%, p=0.000) and digestive tract (0.63% vs 0.14%, p=0.000). The microorganism analysis of respiratory infections indicated an obvious decline in acinetobacters and fungi. The most significant decline of pathogens in gastrointestinal infections was observed for rotavirus. The comparison of catheter-related nosocomial infections between 2019 and 2020 did not show significant differences. Conclusions: The prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the nosocomial infection in almost all departments, except the ICU, mainly regarding respiratory, gastrointestinal, and oral infections, while catheter-related infections did not show any differences.

scholarly journals The impact of management practices to prevent and control mycotoxins in the European food supply chain: MyToolBox project results

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-154
Author(s):  
M. Focker ◽  
H.J. van der Fels-Klerx ◽  
N. Magan ◽  
S.G. Edwards ◽  
M. Grahovac ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Crop Losses ◽  
Mycotoxin Contamination ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

The presence of mycotoxins in cereals has led to large economic losses in Europe. In the course of the European project MyToolBox, prevention and control measures to reduce mycotoxin contamination in cereals were developed. This study aimed to estimate the impact of these prevention and control measures on both the reduction in crop losses and the increased volume of crops suitable for food and/or feed. It focused on the following measures: the use of fungicides during wheat cultivation, the use of resistant maize cultivars and/or biocontrol during maize cultivation, the use of real time sensors in storage silos, the use of innovative milling strategies during the pasta making process, and the employment of degrading enzymes during the process of bioethanol and Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS) production. The impact assessment was based on the annual volume of cereals produced, the annual levels of mycotoxin contamination, and experimental data on the prevention and control measures collected in the course of the MyToolBox project. Results are expressed in terms of reduced volumes of cereals lost, or as additional volumes of cereals available for food meeting the current European legal limits. Results showed that a reduction in crop losses as well as an increase in the volume of crops suitable as food and/or feed is feasible with each proposed prevention or control measure along the supply chain. The impact was the largest in areas and in years with the highest mycotoxin contamination levels but would have less impact in years with low mycotoxin levels. In further research, the impact assessment may be validated using future data from more years and European sites. Decision makers in the food and feed supply chain can use this impact assessment to decide on the relevant prevention and control strategies to apply.

scholarly journals Prevention and control measures of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in low-risk departments: The spine surgery department example

2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 003685042110096
Author(s):  
Yongshun Zheng ◽  
Xingfang Zhang ◽  
Shiyuan Fang ◽  
Yeben Qian ◽  
Fan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Spine Surgery ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Low Risk ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
Surgery Department ◽  
And Control

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads globally, hospital departments will need take steps to manage their treatment procedures and wards. The preparations of high-risk departments (infection, respiratory, emergency, and intensive care unit) were relatively well within this pandemic, while low-risk departments may be unprepared. The spine surgery department in The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in Hefei, China, was used as an example in this study. The spine surgery department took measures to manage the patients, medical staff and wards to avoid the cross-infection within hospital. During the outbreak, no patients or healthcare workers were infected, and no treatment was delayed due to these measures. The prevention and control measures effectively reduced the risk of nosocomial transmission between health workers and patients while providing optimum care. It was a feasible management approach that was applicable to most low-risk and even high-risk departments.

scholarly journals An Investigation on the Public's Acceptance of Prevention and Control Measures for COVID-19 in China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ao Zhang ◽  
Xiang Wu ◽  
Jingqi Gao ◽  
Yongbao Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Public Acceptance ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
The Public ◽  
Epidemic Period ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Government ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background: China has basically succeeded in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic, which is due to the cooperation and acceptance of epidemic prevention measures by the public. However, few studies have examined the measures China has taken to combat COVID-19 in order to reflect on its success in curbing the the spread of epidemic.Methods: In this study, the public acceptance questionnaire was designed based on the epidemic prevention measures adopted in China, to investigate the difference of public acceptance of epidemic prevention measures. The survey data was collected from 2,062 samples with different demographic characteristics from March 8, 2020 to April 9, 2020. And SPSS was used to analyze the data collected in the questionnaire, such as one-way variance, so as to draw conclusions.Results: The results show that age and educational level have a significant influence on public acceptance. In contrast gender and occupation field has no significant impact on it. The acceptance of the emergency prevention and control measures taken by the government during the epidemic period is generally high. With the development of the epidemic, the acceptability is increasing. And the public acceptance of traffic measures was highest. Conclusions: Rapid deployment of epidemic prevention measures and appropriate methods in transportation, economy and education are the key to China's effective containment of the epidemic. Measures such as shutting down cities and encouraging the wearing of masks deserve to be copied by other countries. This study summed up China's scientific experience in the fight against COVID-19 and differences in public acceptance. It can provide a positive reference for the development of epidemic prevention measures in other countries.

scholarly journals Evaluation of prevention and control measures for ventilator-associated pneumonia

2011 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1329-1336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandra Terezinha Roncolato da Silva ◽  
Ana Maria Laus ◽  
Silvia Rita Marin da Silva Canini ◽  
Miyeko Hayashida
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Compliance Rate ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Ventilator Associated Pneumonia ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
High Risk Patients ◽  
Risk Patients ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of health care delivered in an Intensive Care Unit, concerning the use of pneumonia prevention and control measures in high-risk patients on mechanical ventilation. In this descriptive and exploratory research, 839 observations of patients under invasive ventilation care were carried out, between November 2009 and January 2010, using the Indicator of Evaluation of Adherence to Prevention and Control Measures in High-risk Patients (IRPR). Some isolated measures that compose the mentioned indicator reached rates close to 100%, but the general compliance rate with all prevention and control measures of ventilator-associated pneumonia was 26.94%. It is concluded that, although the evaluated practices are accomplished at the unit, systematic evaluations of the interventions is needed so as to permit the discussion and practice of other educational strategies by the health team.

scholarly journals An investigation of an anthrax outbreak in Makoni District, Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Makurumidze ◽  
Gombe Notion Tafara ◽  
Magure Tapuwa ◽  
Mufuta Tshimanga
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background: In Zimbabwe, anthrax continues to be a disease of public health importance with sporadic outbreaks reported in many parts of the country annually. A human anthrax outbreak occurred in Makoni District Ward 22 and 23 between June 2013 and February 2014. The human anthrax outbreak followed cattle deaths in the wards, which were laboratory confirmed to be due to anthrax. We report the clinical characteristics, distribution of anthrax cases (places, person and time), risk factors for contracting the disease, environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures. Methods: We conducted an outbreak investigation with the design of a 1:1 case-control study. Cases and controls were frequency matched against sex. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures were assessed using a checklist, observations and key informant interviews. Multivariable unconditional logic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors associated with contracting anthrax. Results: Of the 64 cases, 37 cases and 37 controls were interviewed. All the cases had cutaneous anthrax with the commonest site of eschar being the hand (43%). Most of the cases (89%) were managed according to the national guidelines. On multivariable analysis, source of meat from other villagers [vs butchery, OR = 15.21, 95% CI (2.32-99.81)], skinning [OR = 4.32, 95% CI (1.25-14.94)] and belonging to a religion which permits eating meat from cattle slaughtered due to unknown illness or butchered after an unobserved death [OR = 6.12, 95% CI (1.28-29.37)] were associated with contracting anthrax. The district was poorly resourced and delayed to respond to the outbreak. Conclusion: The described anthrax outbreak resulted from contact and consumption of infected cattle meat. The district office response was delayed and was not prepared to control the outbreak. However, the outbreak was eventually controlled through cattle vaccination; health education and awareness campaigns. The district should strengthen its emergency preparedness and response capacity, revive zoonotic committees, conduct awareness campaign during the high-risk period and improve the surveillance of anthrax during high-risk periods.

scholarly journals (P1-83) Infectious Diseases Following Natural Disasters: Prevention and Control Measures

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s125-s126
Author(s):  
I.K. Kouadio ◽  
T. Kamigai ◽  
O. Hitoshi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Health Planning ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Susceptible Population ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Communicable diseases represent a public health problem in developing countries, especially in those affected by disasters, and necessitate an appropriate and coordinated response from national and international partners. The importance of rapid epidemiological assessment for public health planning and resources allocation is critical. This review assesses infectious disease outbreaks during and after disasters caused by natural hazards and describes comprehensive prevention and control measures. The natural hazard event that causes a disaster does not transmit infectious diseases in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, nor do dead bodies. During the impact phase, most of the deaths are associated to blunt trauma, crush-related injuries, burns, and drowning rather than from infectious diseases. Most pathogens cannot not continue to survive in a corpse. The remaining survivors are the ones from which infectious diseases can be transmitted under appropriate conditions created by the natural disasters. Among several diseases, diarrheal diseases, leptospirosis, viral hepatitis, typhoid fever, acute respiratory infections, measles, meningitides, tuberculosis, malaria, dengue fever, and West Nile Virus commonly were described days, weeks, or months after the disaster event in areas where they are endemic. Therefore, diseases can also be imported by healthy carriers among a susceptible population. The objective of the public health intervention is to prevent and control epidemics among the disaster-affected populations. The rapid implementation of control measures should be a public health priority especially in the absence of pre-disaster surveillance data, through the re-establishment and improvement of the delivery of primary health care and restoration of affected health services. Adequate shelter and sanitation, water and food safety, appropriate surveillance, immunization and management approaches, as well health education will be strongly required for the reduction of morbidity and mortality.

scholarly journals Changes in prevalence of nosocomial infection pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic from a tertiary Hospital in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunmei Su ◽  
Zhiqin Zhang ◽  
Xu Zhao ◽  
Hanlin Peng ◽  
Yi Hong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nosocomial Infection ◽  
Nosocomial Infections ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Gastrointestinal Infections ◽  
Effective Prevention ◽  
Oral Infections ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Nosocomial infections (NIs) are an important cause of mortality, and increasing evidence reveals that the prevalence of NIs can be reduced through effective prevention and control measures. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 pandemic on NIs. Methods A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the prevalence of NIs before and after COVID-19 pandemic for 6 months in the Children’s Hospital of Soochow University. Results A total of 39,914 patients in 2019 and 34,645 patients in 2020 were admitted to the hospital during the study. There were 1.39% (481/34645) of patients with NIs in 2020, which was significantly lower than the 2.56% (1021/39914) of patients in 2019. The rate of critical and fatal cases was also decreased. In addition, the rate of appropriate handwashing, the number of protective gloves and aprons used per person and the number of healthcare staff per patients were significantly increased. Except for the ICU, the prevalence of nosocomial infection in most departments decreased from 2019 to 2020. Regarding the source of infections, a significant reduction was mainly observed in respiratory (0.99% vs 0.42%, p = 0.000) and digestive tract (0.63% vs 0.14%, p = 0.000). The microorganism analysis of respiratory infections indicated an obvious decline in acinetobacters and fungi. The most significant decline of pathogens in gastrointestinal infections was observed for rotavirus. The comparison of catheter-related nosocomial infections between 2019 and 2020 did not show significant differences. Conclusions The prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the nosocomial infection in almost all departments, except the ICU, mainly regarding respiratory, gastrointestinal, and oral infections, while catheter-related infections did not show any differences.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document