SARS-CoV-2 Transmission from a Healthcare Worker to a Neonate

Abstract

We experienced a case of hospital-acquired infection of SARS-CoV-2 from a healthcare worker working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to a neonate, and we report it because there is no similar case in Japan in the literature. The case was a premature infant born at 35 weeks of gestation, and the nurse in charge developed a sore throat the day after work, and 3 days later, a positive SARS-CoV-2 test was confirmed. SARS-CoV-2 was also detected in the infant on the same day (age, 19 days) in a nucleic acid test. As the infant was kept in a private room in the NICU, no symptoms were observed. If healthcare workers working in neonatal wards are contracted with COVID-19, the status of contact with the neonates should be checked in detail. Nosocomial infection control measures for the contact infants, such as isolation and active testing are necessary if it is determined that they fall under the definition of a close contact.