Experts: COVID-19 is ‘Approaching Pandemic’
According to the dashboard developed by Johns Hopkins University to track the progress of COVID-19, there were 111,363 total confirmed cases worldwide as of 10:30 a.m. Eastern on Monday. Of that total, 566 were in the U.S. There are 3,892 total deaths (3,008 in Hubei Mainland China) and 22 in the U.S., 17 of those in King County, Washington state.
HIMSS 20 Canceled Amid Coronavirus Concerns
In recent days, several major companies including Cisco, Amazon, and Microsoft, decided to withdraw from the conference, which typically draws around 45,000 attendees, due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
Study Highlights Best Practices to Protect Against COVID-19
Researchers from Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong reported that no healthcare workers contracted COVID-19 and no hospital-acquired infections were identified after the first six weeks of the outbreak, even as the health system tested 1,275 suspected cases and treated 42 active confirmed cases of COVID-19.
COVID-19: CMS Says Primary Survey Focus Will be on Infection Control Preparedness
The order was sent out late Wednesday in a Quality, Safety & Oversight Group memo, and followed up with two others on guidance for the prevention of COVID-19 in hospitals and nursing homes, specifically.
Patient Safety Movement Summit Postponed Due to Coronavirus Concerns
The summit typically features keynote addresses from public figures and patient safety experts, and plenary sessions with healthcare luminaries, and patient advocates, as well as announcements from organizations who have made their own commitments to reach the PSMF’s goal of zero preventable deaths by 2020. This year’s event was to include more information on the PSMF’s plans post-2020.
Prepare Now for COVID-19 to Stick Around
In a blog post on the website of King & Spalding law firm in Austin, healthcare lawyer Catherine Greaves noted that staffing challenges as well as employee education should be among the top concerns during preparations for COVID-19.
CDC: Focus on Protecting Staff and Supplies as Coronavirus Concerns Grow
If possible, patients under investigation should be given a surgical mask and moved to a negative pressure room. Healthcare workers should use appropriate PPE, including eye protection that should be goggles and not safety glasses.
CMS Urges Providers to Prep for 2019-nCoV
In QSO 20-09-ALL, CMS noted that healthcare organizations have been told to consider emerging infectious diseases as part of the all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness all healthcare providers have been required to follow since 2016. The memo also notes that the CDC continues to issue information on the 2019-nCoV that began in China at the end of last year and has infected thousands, including more than 600 people who have died.
Novel Coronavirus: What Clinicians Should Know
As of February 4, more than 20,000 cases of infections had been reported, with 98.9% of the cases in China, and the virus had been tied to more than 400 deaths.
Rapidly Spreading Wuhan Coronavirus Could Become Pandemic Soon
As of February 4, the number of 2019-nCoV cases is estimated at 20,701, with 427 deaths and 727 patients considered recovered, according to a dashboard created by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.