Hospital onset COVID-19 cases in Scotland
Week ending 01 March 2020 to week ending 30 October 2022

About this release

This release provides data for probable and definite hospital onset COVID-19 cases (first positive specimen of COVID-19 episode taken on day eight of an inpatient stay or later) in Scotland from week ending 1 March 2020 to week ending 30 October 2022. A system for monitoring COVID-19 is critical to tracking hospital transmission and has informed development of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures during the pandemic. The transmission of COVID-19 is thought to occur mainly through respiratory droplets generated by coughing and through contact with contaminated surfaces. Further information on SARS-CoV-2 and current IPC guidance can be found in the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual.

The content of this report has evolved during the pandemic to account for changes in testing for SARS-CoV-2. Due to the cessation of almost all population testing for SARS-CoV-2 at the end of April 2022, the inclusion of community onset cases in this report was discontinued in May 2022. Additionally, following the pausing of almost all routine asymptomatic testing in hospitals at the end of September 2022, the inclusion of non-hospital onset and indeterminate hospital onset cases (cases where first specimen of COVID-19 episode taken on days one to seven of an inpatient stay) has also been discontinued.

Main points

Breakdown of probable and definite hospital onset COVID-19 cases by hospital onset status – weekly data

The total number of probable and definite hospital onset COVID-19 cases reported to ARHAI Scotland this week (week ending 30 October 2022) was 188. Of these:

• 48 were reported as probable hospital onset (first positive specimen of COVID-19 episode on days 8 to 14 of admission to NHS board). In the previous week (week ending 23 October 2022) there were 56.
• 140 were reported as definite hospital onset (first positive specimen of COVID-19 episode on day 15 of admission to NHS board or later). In the previous week (week ending 23 October 2022) there were 122.

Figure 1: Epidemic curve of probable and definite hospital onset COVID-19 cases (first positive specimen of COVID-19 episode taken on day eight of inpatient stay or later), by onset status: week ending 01 March 2020 to week ending 30 October 2022 (n=16,807).^1,2

Figure 1: Epidemic curve of probable and definite hospital onset COVID-19 cases (first positive specimen of COVID-19 episode taken on day eight of inpatient stay or later), by onset status: week ending 01 March 2020 to week ending 30 October 2022 (n=16,807). Figure 1 is an epidemic curve of probable and definite hospital onset COVID-19 cases with first positive specimen of the COVID-19 episode taken on day eight of an inpatient stay or later. The length of the bars are the counts of COVID-19 cases during each week, from week ending 01 March 2020 to week ending 30 October 2022. The bars are broken down by probable hospital onset, and definite hospital onset status. The chart shows several increases and subsequent decreases in probable and definite hospital onset cases. During these waves, peaks in probable and definite hospital onset cases occurred on week ending 12 April 2020, week ending 17 January 2021, week ending 09 January 2022, week ending 27 March 2022 (the largest peak to date) and week ending 10 July 2022. Since this most recent peak, an overall decreasing trend was observed until 28 August 2022, where case numbers steadily increased until week ending 09 October 2022. Case numbers have decreased slightly since week ending 09 October 2022.

Close

^{1.​ Source of data are Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) that contains test results from Electronic Communication of Surveillance in Scotland (ECOSS) and Rapid Admission Preliminary Inpatient Data (RAPID) or local admission data.
2.​ Data include any reinfection episodes from samples taken on day eight of an inpatient stay or later.}

Background

Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland, part of National Services Scotland, works closely with Public Health Scotland to deliver the COVID-19 response. Local and national monitoring in hospital settings is required to reduce COVID-19 infections.

Further information

Find out more on the COVID-19 pages on the PHS website.  

The next release of this publication will be 30 November 2022