An Influenza outbreak investigation in Disability Empowerment Center, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai Province
Keywords:
Influenza, Persons with disability, Outbreak investigationAbstract
On November16, 2023, the Office of Disease Prevention and Control 1, Chiang Mai received a report of a suspected influenza cluster from Mae Taeng Disability Empowerment Center, Chiang Mai. We investigated to confirm the diagnosis, verify and describe the outbreak, identify risks of the infection, and to provide recommendations. We performed an active case finding by announcement. Suspected case was defined as a person in this center with at least 2 of these following symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, productive cough, rhinorrhea, dyspnea, myalgia, headaches, or fatigue, during October 26 to November 25, 2023. The confirmed case was a suspected one who had a positive test for influenza virus by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A retrospective cohort study was to conduct using the same case definition. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to calculate the risk ratio, adjusted odds ratio, and 95% confidence interval. Environmental study was also carried out. We found 54 cases (attack rate=52.94%) and the specific attack rate among the disabled was 68.49%. All five confirmed cases were positive for influenza A (H3N2). The study implied that having any disability was a risk for influenza infection, especially who had multiple disabilities (Adjusted OR=24.63, 95%CI=2.65-583.06). The center had done Influenza-like illness screening by using an infrared thermometer without symptoms screening, therefore the outbreak still occurred. There were improper protective equipment usage, no refreshing of knowledge and practice, and insufficient seasonal influenza vaccine. The center should include staff and visitors together with adding symptoms in the screening, especially persons who have a higher level of disability, and restrict isolation during the outbreak. Local public health sectors should allocate seasonal influenza vaccines in a timely fashion to those who had higher level of disability, regular health education and training, and protective equipment to the center.
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