Bashir Ahmad Barakzaie
The ongoing epidemics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have caused serious problems on public health, particularly affecting the health care workers worldwide. There are limited data on number of staff affected by this serious and fatal diseases in national and international level. This study aims to find out the cause of risk of virous transmission and spread among the health worker in Herat Regional Public Hospital, Herat – Afghanistan
Method
We conducted a retrospective case control study to figure out the risk factor of this virous infection amongst health care worker in Herat Regional Hospital – Afghanistan in late April 2020 approximately 2 months from first case of diseases confirmation in Afghanistan which occurred here in Herat. The staff were divided into two group each of 26. The case group were the ones with positive PCR test, while the control group were those health workers with same criteria with negative PCR test result. The data were entered in xlx spreadsheet and analyzed using Epi info 7
Results
The risk of infection was 4 times higher in those without prior training comparing those who had received a covid 19 training prior to exposure to the disease ( OR=4, P<0.05). mean age in the case group was slightly higher (33.9 year) comparing to the control group (30.7 year). Fever was more common in the case group comparing to the control (70%, 30%) respectively, this finding was significant, p = <0.05. Interestingly, shortness of breath was more common in control group comparing to the case group(30%, 7%). This was statically significant, P= <0.05. more than of 50% of positive staff were belongs to the nurses and resident (11, 7) respectively. Comparison of the place and types of job showed no significant differences in being either safe are at more risk of being infected.
Conclusion
A comprehensive training prior to any exposure to a contagious disease is mandatory to decrease the risk for infection transmission among health care worker, KAP survey may give further information and is suggested.
