A review of recent MERS-CoV cases by the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Command & Control Center (CCC) showed the need to update its clinical operations protocols for handling patients who are suspected or confirmed to have the disease. The document has been posted on the CCC website:
http://www.moh.gov.sa/en/ccc/Pages/default.aspx
“It is critical that all healthcare workers and facilities, public and private, follow these updated protocols,” said Dr. Anees Sindi, Deputy Commander of the CCC. “With more than 70 percent of recent MERS-CoV cases resulting from secondary infections, mainly acquired in the hospital, we have recognized the need to implement more rigorous infection-control measures across the health system.”
“Sporadic cases of the disease, thought to be caused by unprotected contact with camels, are still likely to happen,” added Dr. Anees. “Secondary infections, however, should be prevented. One of the CCC's objectives is to reduce the potential for MERS-CoV to spread, thus protecting the health of patients and healthcare workers. These updated protocols are designed to do just that.”
The guiding principles of the protocols include:
- All hospital staff must be familiar with the latest MERS-CoV case definition.
- Suspect patients are to be handled with appropriate protection equipment, following all recommended IPC guidelines.
- Patient transfer protocols must be followed.
- Hospital staff are to call the (937) infectious disease hotline to report the case and receive up-to-date guidance.
Also, as part of the CCC’s comprehensive preparedness program, the Ministry reiterated that it has created 17 MERS-CoV specialist hospitals across the Kingdom, and has named three centers of excellence for handling complex or difficult cases:
- Western Province – King Fahad Hospital, Jeddah.
- Central Province – Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Riyadh.
- Eastern Province – Dammam Medical Complex.
The full set of updated protocols has been distributed to healthcare workers across the regions, who are expected to be familiar and comply with them effective immediately.
The move comes as part of the Ministry’s commitment to building a comprehensive preparedness program based on international best practices and knowledge-based solutions to best serve and protect the people of the Kingdom.
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