COVID-19 Outbreak: Sharing Hulu Langat Experience in Managing Through the First and Second Waves
Abstract
Background: Coordinated public health measures at the national, state, and district levels played a significant role in controlling the pandemic COVID-19. This paper aimed to describe public health methods used and strategies to overcome the various challenges used by Hulu Langat District Health Office (PKDHL) for managing COVID-19 outbreaks and epidemiological characteristics of the COVID-19 cases in the first and second waves.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study using the data of COVID-19 cases registered under PKDHL from MArch until August 2020. The daily case reports, line listing, the documentation of the meetings, and the reports on outbreak management activities were gathered and analysed.
Results: A total of 635 COVID-19 cases were reported with an incidence rate (IR) of 44.9/100,000 Hulu Langat became the district with the highest cases in Selangor. The mean age for COVID-19 cases was 33.4 years, 469 (73.9%) were male, and 268 (42.2%) were symptomatic. two surges of cases were observed related to the Sungai Lui cluster and the Semenyih Immigration Detention Centre cluster. PKDHL actively managed cluster and quarantine centres with inter-agencies collaboration, conducting targeted community sampling, and active surveillance to control the spread of the outbreak. The high demand for the workforce to carry out these activities for a prolonged duration represented the biggest challenge for PKDHL during this pandemic.
Conclusion: Adherence to the national guidelines, capacity building, proper resource allocation, and enhanced coordination of all relevant stakeholders were identified as the critical success factors for PKDHL in controlling the outbreak.
References
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Durcharme, J. (2020). The WHO Just Declared Coronavirus COVID-19 a “Pandemic”. Here’s what that means [WWW Document]. The Time. URL https://time.com/5791661/who-coronavirus-pandemic-declaration/
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, (2020). COVID-19 testing strategies and objectives [WWW Document]. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. URL https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/covid-19-testing-strategies-and-objectives
Guan, W.-J., Ni, Z.-Y., Hu, Y., Liang, W.-H., Ou, C.-Q., He, J.-X., Liu, L., Shan, H., Lei, C.-L., Hui, D.S.C., Du, B., Li, L.-J., Zeng, G., Yuen, K.-Y., Chen, R.-C., Tang, C.-L., Wang, T., Chen, P.-Y., Xiang, J., Li, S.-Y., Wang, J.-L., Liang, Z.-J., Peng, Y.-X., Wei, L., Liu, Y., Hu, Y.-H., Peng, P., Wang, J.-M., Liu, J.-Y., Chen, Z., Li, G., Zheng, Z.-J., Qiu, S.-Q., Luo, J., Ye, C.-J., Zhu, S.-Y., Zhong, N.-S. and China Medical Treatment Expert Group for Covid-19. (2020). Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(18), 1708–1720. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032
Hou, F.F., Zhou, F., Xu, X., Wang, D., Xu, G., Jiang, T., Nie, S., Wu, X., Ren, C., Wang, G., Lau, J.Y.-N., Wang, X. and Zhang, K. (2020). Personnel protection strategy for healthcare workers in Wuhan during the COVID-19 epidemic. Precision Clinical Medicine, 3(3), 169–174. https://doi.org/10.1093/pcmedi/pbaa024
Huang, L., Zhang, Xiuwen, Zhang, Xinyue, Wei, Z., Zhang, L., Xu, J., Liang, P., Xu, Y., Zhang, C. and Xu, A. (2020). Rapid asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 during the incubation period demonstrating strong infectivity in a cluster of youngsters aged 16-23 years outside Wuhan and characteristics of young patients with COVID-19: A prospective contact-tracing study. Journal of Infection, 80(6), e1–e13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2020.03.006
Institute for Health Systems Research, (2020). Malaysian-Health-Sector-Response-to-COVID-19-Pandemic [WWW Document]. Ministry of Health Malaysia. URL http://library.nih.gov.my/e-doc/Flip-Book/Malaysian-Health-Sector-Response-to-COVID-19-Pandemic/index.html
Lim, S., Yoon, H.I., Song, K.-H., Kim, E.S. and Kim, H.B. (2020). Face masks and containment of COVID-19: experience from South Korea. Journal of Hospital Infection, 106(1), 206–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.06.017
Liyabatul Najwa, Z., Nadiatul Ima, Z., Wan, M.K., Noor Haslinda, I., Intan Syafinaz, S., Hasneezah, H., VC Anuratha, S., Hafeez, I., Faisal, I. and Rosliza, A.M. (2016). The concept of district health management in Malaysia. International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences, 3(3).
MaHTAS, (2021). Testing Strategies for COVID-19. Malaysian Health Technologies Assessment Section 22.
Mat, N.F.C., Edinur, H.A., Razab, M.K.A.A. and Safuan, S. (2020). A Single Mass Gathering Resulted in Massive Transmission of COVID-19 Infections in Malaysia with Further International Spread. Journal of Travel Medicine, 27(3), taaa059. https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taaa059
Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2020. COVID-19 Malaysia Updates [WWW Document]. Situasi terkini COVID-19 di Malaysia. URL http://covid-19.moh.gov.my
Ng, C.F.S., Seposo, X.T., Moi, M.L., Tajudin, M.A.B.A., Madaniyazi, L. and Sahani, M. (2020). Characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic and control measures to curb transmission in Malaysia. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 101, 409–411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.10.027
Ngiam, J.N., Chew, N., Tham, S.M., Beh, D.L.L., Lim, Z.Y., Li, T.Y.W., Cen, S., Tambyah, P.A., Santosa, A., Sia, C.H. and Cross, G.B. (2021). Demographic shift in COVID-19 patients in Singapore from an aged, at-risk population to young migrant workers with reduced risk of severe disease. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 103, 329-335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.11.157
Onder, G., Rezza, G. and Brusaferro, S., (2020). Case-Fatality Rate and Characteristics of Patients Dying in Relation to COVID-19 in Italy. JAMA- Journal of the American Medical Association, 323(18). https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.4683
Petrilli, C.M., Jones, S.A., Yang, J., Rajagopalan, H., O’Donnell, L., Chernyak, Y., Tobin, K.A., Cerfolio, R.J., Francois, F. and Horwitz, L.I., (2020). Factors associated with hospital admission and critical illness among 5279 people with coronavirus disease 2019 in New York City: prospective cohort study. The BMJ 369, m1966. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1966
Petrosillo, N., Viceconte, G., Ergonul, O., Ippolito, G. and Petersen, E., (2020). COVID-19, SARS and MERS: are they closely related? In Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 26(6), 729–734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2020.03.026
Richardson, S., Hirsch, J.S., Narasimhan, M., Crawford, J.M., McGinn, T., Davidson, K.W., the Northwell COVID-19 Research Consortium, Barnaby, D.P., Becker, L.B., Chelico, J.D., Cohen, S.L., Cookingham, J., Coppa, K., Diefenbach, M.A., Dominello, A.J., Duer-Hefele, J., Falzon, L., Gitlin, J., Hajizadeh, N., Harvin, T.G., Hirschwerk, D.A., Kim, E.J., Kozel, Z.M., Marrast, L.M., Mogavero, J.N., Osorio, G.A., Qiu, M. and Zanos, T.P. (2020). Presenting Characteristics, Comorbidities, and Outcomes Among 5700 Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 in the New York City Area. JAMA- Journal of the American Medical Association, 323(20), 2052–2059. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.6775
Salim, N., Chan, W.H., Mansor, S., Bazin, N.E.N., Amaran, S., Faudzi, A.A.M., Zainal, A., Huspi, S.H., Hooi, E.K.J. and Shithil, S.M. (2020). COVID-19 epidemic in Malaysia: Impact of lockdown on infection dynamics. In medRxiv 2020.04.08.20057463. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.08.20057463
Sim, B.L.H., Chidambaram, S.K., Wong, X.C., Pathmanathan, M.D., Peariasamy, K.M., Hor, C.P., Chua, H.J. and Goh, P.P. (2020). Clinical characteristics and risk factors for severe COVID-19 infections in Malaysia: A nationwide observational study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 4, 100055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2020.100055
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2020). Identifying Sick Workers & Impatients [WWW Document]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/non-us-settings/guidance-identify-hcw-patients.html
Wan Mohamed Noor, W.N., Sandhu, S.S., Ahmad Mahir, H.M., Kurup, D., Rusli, N., Saat, Z., Chong, C.K., Sulaiman, L.H. and Abdullah, N.H. (2014). Responding to the Potential of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Importation into Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 21(6), 3–8.
Wong, J.E.L., Leo, Y.S. and Tan, C.C. (2020). COVID-19 in Singapore—Current Experience: Critical Global Issues That Require Attention and Action | Global Health | JAMA | JAMA Network [WWW Document]. JAMA Network. URL https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2761890
World Health Organization, 2020a. Pneumonia of unknown cause – China [WWW Document]. World Health Organization. URL https://www.who.int/emergencies/emergency-events/item/2020-DON229
World Health Organization, 2020b. Statement on the second meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) [WWW Document]. World Health Organization. URL https://www.who.int/news/item/30-01-2020-statement-on-the-second-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-outbreak-of-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov)
World Health Organization, 2020c. Malaysia Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) [WWW Document]. World Health Organization. URL https://www.who.int/malaysia/emergencies/covid-19-in-malaysia/situation-reports
Published
2022-07-21
How to Cite
A.M., Norfazillah et al.
COVID-19 Outbreak: Sharing Hulu Langat Experience in Managing Through the First and Second Waves.
Journal of Health Management, [S.l.], v. 18, n. 2, p. 54-69, july 2022.
ISSN 2948-5126.
Available at: <https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/johm/article/view/18879>. Date accessed: 11 oct. 2024.
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