An additional 14 people connected to a COVID-19 cluster at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have tested positive for the coronavirus.In an update released Monday, hospital officials say 30 of the 488 employees connected to the cluster who have been tested for COVID-19 have tested positive.The hospital says it also tested 581 patients across all inpatient areas and 12 have tested positive for the virus. The 12 patients who tested positive are connected to the cluster, which was identified by the hospital’s infection control team last Tuesday.Brigham and Women’s previously reported Friday that 19 employees and nine patients had tested positive for COVID-19.Officials say that the Brigham and Women’s infection control team believes the cluster has been contained to two specific inpatient units: 16A and 14CD in the Braunwald Tower.”This outbreak is not impacting any other areas of the hospital or our outpatient clinics,” reads a statement from the hospital.The impacted areas have been thoroughly cleaned, according to officials.All current Brigham and Women’s inpatients will be tested for COVID-19 every three days, which is in addition to the current policy which requires testing for all patients upon admission and daily screening for symptoms.In addition, the hospital is offering free, voluntary COVID-19 testing for employees who have been working on the main campus since Sept. 14.As of Monday, the hospital has tested 4,365 employees and received 2,589 results, seven of which were positive. Two of the seven employees who tested positive are associated with the known cluster, and the other cases have not been connected to the cluster at this time.No definitive source of the outbreak has yet been been identified, but hospital officials said several potential contributing factors were possible. Those included patients having unmasked interaction with staff, inconsistent use of eye protection, a patient who underwent an aerosol generating procedure, a staff member who reported to work despite symptoms consistent with their seasonal allergies and a lack of physical distancing among staff while eating.”Our Infection Control team has investigated the source of the cluster through intensive contact tracing, testing, and staff interviews,” hospital officials wrote. “Based on the information that we currently have our Infection Control team is unable to determine whether the source of the cluster was a staff member or patient.”
BOSTON —
An additional 14 people connected to a COVID-19 cluster at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have tested positive for the coronavirus.
In an update released Monday, hospital officials say 30 of the 488 employees connected to the cluster who have been tested for COVID-19 have tested positive.
The hospital says it also tested 581 patients across all inpatient areas and 12 have tested positive for the virus. The 12 patients who tested positive are connected to the cluster, which was identified by the hospital’s infection control team last Tuesday.
Brigham and Women’s previously reported Friday that 19 employees and nine patients had tested positive for COVID-19.
Officials say that the Brigham and Women’s infection control team believes the cluster has been contained to two specific inpatient units: 16A and 14CD in the Braunwald Tower.
“This outbreak is not impacting any other areas of the hospital or our outpatient clinics,” reads a statement from the hospital.
The impacted areas have been thoroughly cleaned, according to officials.
All current Brigham and Women’s inpatients will be tested for COVID-19 every three days, which is in addition to the current policy which requires testing for all patients upon admission and daily screening for symptoms.
In addition, the hospital is offering free, voluntary COVID-19 testing for employees who have been working on the main campus since Sept. 14.
As of Monday, the hospital has tested 4,365 employees and received 2,589 results, seven of which were positive. Two of the seven employees who tested positive are associated with the known cluster, and the other cases have not been connected to the cluster at this time.
No definitive source of the outbreak has yet been been identified, but hospital officials said several potential contributing factors were possible. Those included patients having unmasked interaction with staff, inconsistent use of eye protection, a patient who underwent an aerosol generating procedure, a staff member who reported to work despite symptoms consistent with their seasonal allergies and a lack of physical distancing among staff while eating.
“Our Infection Control team has investigated the source of the cluster through intensive contact tracing, testing, and staff interviews,” hospital officials wrote. “Based on the information that we currently have our Infection Control team is unable to determine whether the source of the cluster was a staff member or patient.”