Infection prevention and control
Triage all patients on admission and immediately isolate all suspected and confirmed cases in an
area separate from other patients. Implement appropriate infection prevention and control procedures.
Screening questionnaires may be helpful. Report all suspected and confirmed cases to your local health
authorities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the following basic principles:[50]
• Immediately isolate all suspected cases in an area that is separate from other patients
• Implement standard precautions at all times:
• Practice hand and respiratory hygiene
• Offer a medical mask to patients who can tolerate one
• Wear personal protective equipment
• Prevent needlestick and sharps injury
• Practice safe waste management, environmental cleaning, and sterilisation of patient care
equipment and linen
• Implement additional contact and droplet precautions until the patient is asymptomatic:
• Place patients in adequately ventilated single rooms; when single rooms are not available,
place all suspected cases together in the same ward
• Wear a medical mask, gloves, an appropriate gown, and eye/facial protection (e.g., goggles
or a face shield)
• Use single-use or disposable equipment
• Consider limiting the number of healthcare workers, family members, and visitors in contact
with the patient, ensuring optimal patient care and psychosocial support for the patient
• Consider placing patients in negative pressure rooms, if available
• Implement airborne precautions when performing aerosol-generating procedures
• All specimens collected for laboratory investigations should be regarded as potentially infectious.
It is important to disinfect inanimate surfaces in the surgery or hospital as patients may touch and
contaminate surfaces such as door handles and desktops.[51]
Detailed guidance on infection prevention and control procedures are available from the WHO and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):