ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 has been implicated in the largest recorded coronavirus outbreak to date. Initially, most COVID-19 cases were in China, but the virus has spread to more than 184 countries worldwide, and the United States currently has more cases than any other country. OBJECTIVE: With person-to-person spread expanding in the United States, we describe hospital preparedness for managing suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey focused on various elements of respiratory disease preparedness. SETTING: Critical access hospitals (CAHs) and acute-care hospitals (ACHs) in Idaho. METHODS: The electronic survey was sent to infection preventionists (IPs) and nurse administrators in 44 hospitals in Idaho. RESULTS: Overall, 32 (73%) hospitals responded to the survey. Participating facilities reported their preparedness with respect to existing, formalized structures for managing infectious disease incidents-specifically COVID-19-as well as availability of resources, such as isolation rooms and personal protective equipment, for safely managing suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitals covered by the survey had varying levels of preparedness for managing COVID-19 cases, with differences across the various categories of interest in this study. Although the study reveals strengths, including in application of emergency management and infection control frameworks, it also suggests that other areas, such as consistent implementation of federal guidelines and requirements for infection prevention, are potential areas for strengthening preparedness for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens with pandemic potential.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Health Resources/supply & distribution , Hospitals/statistics & numerical data , Infection Control/statistics & numerical data , Pandemics/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control , COVID-19 , Cross-Sectional Studies , Health Care Surveys , Humans , Idaho , Infection Control/instrumentation , Infection Control/methods , Personal Protective Equipment/supply & distribution , Quarantine/methods , Quarantine/statistics & numerical data , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
We report a fatal case of Rhizopus azygosporus pneumonia in a 56-year-old man hospitalized for COVID-19 who had received methylprednisolone and tocilizumab. Although COVID-associated pulmonary aspergillosis has been widely documented, mucormycosis has been rarely reported. In this patient, receipt of two commonly used immunosuppressants likely contributed to mucormycosis risk, suggesting the need for vigilance in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.