Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) in Singapore has routinely fit-tested staff for high-filtration N95 respirators and established Web-based staff surveillance systems. The routine systems were enhanced in response to Singapore's first imported COVID-19 case on 23 January 2020. ⋯ A robust staff protection and health surveillance system that is routinely implemented during non-outbreak periods and enhanced during the COVID-19 outbreak is effective in protecting frontline staff from the infection.
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The US' coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has grown extensively since February 2020, with substantial associated hospitalizations and mortality; New York State has emerged as the national epicenter. We report on the extent of testing and test results during the month of March in New York State, along with risk factors, outcomes, and household prevalence among initial cases subject to in-depth investigations. ⋯ New York State faced a substantial and increasing COVID-19 outbreak during March 2020. The earliest cases had high levels of infection in their households and by the end of the month, the risks of hospitalization and death were high.