A group of coronaviruses emerging in a Massachusetts hospital after an employee recently traveled to a COVID-19 access point is the exact concern that a leading infectious disease specialist has before college students arrive in the Bay State. .
More than 30 people have tested positive for the virus as a result of the outbreak at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Baystate Health President and CEO Mark Keroack announced Monday at a press conference.
Thirteen patients and 23 employees in a non-COVID unit have tested positive, he said. One of the hospital employees had recently traveled to an out-of-state coronavirus hot spot.
A leading infectious disease specialist from Boston University said he is “quite concerned” about the recurrence of this scenario in Massachusetts as the virus increases in many parts of the country, including the south and west.
“The potential for introduction from other parts of the country that have a much higher prevalence of active infections is a major concern,” said Davidson Hamer, a professor at the Boston University School of Public Health and School of Medicine.
“The students are coming to college soon, and it’s definitely a big concern,” added Hamer, also a physician at Boston Medical Center.
Beginning August 1 in Massachusetts, out-of-state individuals must quarantine for 14 days unless they come from a state with low infection rates, or may produce a negative test. Travelers who do not comply with the new order will face a fine of $ 500 per day.
One factor that prompted the Baystate Health group, the hospital’s CEO said, was that staff members together in break rooms removed their masks without observing social distancing protocols.
“These simple failures could have occurred despite our screening employees detecting fever and other symptoms before each shift, requiring the use of masks and social distancing throughout the facility,” said Keroack.
“We know that there is no guarantee that this virus cannot spread even when precautions are taken,” he said. “Asymptomatic people can eliminate the virus and those who feel that they are somehow in an area without viruses can let their guard down from time to time with serious consequences.
“We have seen this in many other areas across the country,” added Keroack. “This event reinforces that COVID-19 is highly contagious and requires surveillance to contain its spread.”
Baystate Health has contacted all patients who received care in the unit from July 15 to 23.
The hospital has also been testing and tracking employees who work in the unit, as well as employees who spent more than 15 minutes in the unit.
For patients who tested positive, they follow up on contacts in collaboration with the state Department of Public Health and local health boards.
“We are deeply disappointed that this outbreak has occurred,” said Keroack. “And we are committed to an ongoing review of our security practices to ensure they are aligned with current science and guidelines.”
