Practical experience of reconstruction of common infectious disease ward as COVID-19 ward

OBJECTIVE: To explore the measures of upgrading and reconstructing the common infectious diseases division as the Corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19)division during the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: The COVID-19 division was reconstructed on the basis of the common infectious disease division by adding fully enclosed partitions, adding 4 buffer rooms and double-door closed transmission windows, setting up single isolation room, and rebuilding the communication system;the spatial layout of each area was optimized. RESULTS: Both the infection control department and the experts of Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control unanimously agreed that the reconstructed COVID-19 division had scientific layout and reasonable procedures and conformed to the requirements for control of infection and the standards of respiratory infectious diseases division. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to reconstruct the COVID-19 division on the basis of the common infectious diseases division, which may maximize the savings of medical resources and provide reference for reconstruction of similar divisions.

Epidemiological and clinical differences of coronavirus disease 2019 patients with distinct viral exposure history.

Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread from the early epicenter, Wuhan, to the rest of China, the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 might have evolved at different phases of the pandemic. We therefore compared the unique features among 62 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inpatients who contracted SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan (15 cases), exposed to the patients from Wuhan (26 cases), or acquired the disease without exposure to Wuhan patients (21 cases). Median incubation periods are 4.5 days (3-5) for Wuhan patients, 8 days (3-11) for those infected by Wuhan patients, and 12 days (7-13) for those without aforementioned experience. The disease onset dates are earliest for Wuhan patients and latest for those without exposure to Wuhan patients. Blood lymphocytes were lowest in Wuhan patients, lower in those affected by Wuhan patients, and modest reduced in remaining ones. Disease severity is worst for Wuhan patients, and modest for those without contact with Wuhan patients. Wuhan patients had longest (27 days, 18-28), those transmitted by Wuhan patients had intermediate (16 days, 8-23), and the rest of the patients had shortest (13 days, 8.5-22.5) hospital stay. Early viral exposure, older age, lymphocytopenia, and underlying conditions are risk factors which warrant aggressive intervention. Even though the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 appears decline over the course of serial transmissions, viral testing, contact tracing, social distancing, and face masking should be imposed on general public to contain viral dissemination from both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with this highly contagious disease.