Detection of 5 infected COVID-19 patients in non-COVID ICU

In December 2019, a pathogen, the new 2019 Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), was identified in Wuhan, China, causing outbreaks and eventually spreading around the world. We are facing a new challenge in the post-Corona era. Given that personal protective equipment is not used exactly at the peak of corona prevalence, choosing patients for the non-COVID ICU is challenging, to prevent infection of non-COVID patients and staff.

In our intensive care unit, we endorse hospital protocol which is based on the W.H.O protocol for patient admission to ICU. However, despite considering strict rules for patient admission, we detected several COVID patients among the other patients. Symptoms included: lymphopenia, weakness, inability to walk, gastrointestinal symptoms, and conjunctivitis.

It seems that we need an intermediate section between the COVID and non-COVID wards, and patients who are to be transferred from the COVID ICU to the non-COVID ward should be hospitalized in this ward for a certain period. Full use of personal protective equipment (mask, gloves, Scrubs, eye protector) is recommended in all the non-COVID ICU.