An Investigation of Hospital-associated Measles Outbreak, Central Taiwan, 2019

DOI: 10.6525/TEB.201906_35(11).0002

Du-Ling Lin¹, Zhi Jie Ding¹, Fu-Jun Chen^{1, 2}, Wen-Yueh Cheng³, Pei-Fang Lai¹, Ching-Fen Ko^{1, 4}, Pi-Long Liu¹, Kung-Ching Wang^1*

2019 Vol.35 NO.11

Correspondence Author： Kung-Ching Wang^1*

Abstract：

        On March 26, 2019, Taiwan Centers for Disease Control was notified of a case of measles by a hospital in central Taiwan. The case was a 43-year-old female head nurse in the hospital. According to investigation, the primary case was a 34-year-old male who had been to China and was hospitalized in the same ward. Contact tracing showed a total of nine measles cases in the hospital, including two nurses during the first transmission, and three nurses, one patient and the patient’s accompanied friend, and two contract cleaning workers. No associated cases were identified after May 1. The outbreak was under control because of active attitude and responses of the hospital, including providing measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination to hospital workers within 6 days of the outbreak, educating hospital staff about measles, and implementing infection control measures. We suggested that (1) healthcare providers should immediately report any suspect measles case and take adequate infection control measures, (2) principles of contract tracing should be implemented, and (3) high MMR coverage among healthcare workers should be maintained.