Infection Control

St. Michael Medical Center in Bremerton, Wash., is investigating its second COVID-19 outbreak since August.

More than half of disposable isolation gowns tested by the ECRI Institute failed to meet standard protection levels, the patient safety organization said Nov. 10.

Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston fared poorly after a CMS investigation found several hospital employees arriving without face masks and unsanitary conditions in rooms, reports Maine Public. 

Hospital floors may be a larger source of bacteria infection spread than previously thought, according to a study published Nov. 2 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 

Healdsburg District Hospital in California undertook a daylong effort Oct. 26 to test all of its staff members for COVID-19 after 14 employees contracted the virus this month, reports KTVU. 

The CDC unveiled a national infection control training initiative Oct. 28 known as Project Firstline to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in healthcare settings.

Tacoma, Wash.-based CHI Franciscan health system is working with its local health department to investigate an outbreak of COVID-19 cases at St. Joseph Medical Center, reports The News Tribune. 

As New York sees an increase in COVID-19 clusters, hospital and nursing home visits are banned in areas designated as COVID-19 red zones, reports syracuse.com. 

Antibiotic use has increased at Veterans Affairs hospitals during the pandemic, reversing a four-year trend of reduced use, according to a study presented at IDWeek 2020.

The Michigan Department of Public Health and Human Services will provide $50,000 in COVID-19 relief funding to make free infection control training available for direct care workers, the state said Oct. 22.