SPRN Updates

EMS Biosafety Transport
NETEC has a new free course available with continuing education credits. "EMS Biosafety Transport for Operators" is for EMS providers and clinical personnel at risk of exposure to serious infectious diseases like COVID-19, Mpox, Ebola Virus Disease, Smallpox, SARS, MERS, and novel influenza. There are four credits available, for EMS, nurses and physicians. (Don’t wait too long, course availability ends April 12, 2024.)  Take the EMS Biosafety Transport Course


Project Firstline: Micro-Learn Training Available
Project Firstline continues to build on the infection control Micro-Learn Training series with the release of the newest topic on cough and congestion. Just in time for the upcoming respiratory virus season, healthcare leaders and training facilitators can incorporate the new Cough and Congestion Micro-Learn into their team meetings or huddles. This micro-learn topic reinforces common infection risks associated with cough and congestion, so healthcare workers can take practical steps to stop the spread of germs and protect patients and themselves from viral respiratory infections, like flu, RSV, and COVID-19.

As a reminder, each micro-learn package includes a user guide, discussion guide, and ready-to-use job aid, making it easy for healthcare leaders to fit infection control training into their busy schedules.
Download and share currently available trainings on what to do when you see blood, rash, and cough and congestion from Project Firstline. Stay tuned for new topics coming soon!


PPE: Medical Mask Essentials
Learn about the fundamentals of medical masks and best practices for medical professionals to keep yourself and patients safe. This blog post covers everything from what is a medical face mask, to how it is different from other face coverings, how they are manufactured, tested and much more.
Medical Mask Essentials Blog Post

If you missed NETEC’s PPE from A to Z: Decoding Masks webinar last month, you can watch the webinar recording here.

Updated! EMS Infectious Disease Playbook: Version 2.0
The EMS Infectious Disease Playbook was recently reviewed by subject matter experts and updated to include information on Mpox and COVID-19. The playbook synthesizes multiple sources of information in a single planning document, culminating in a concise reference resource for emergency medical services agencies developing their service policies.

Spotlight: Nipah Virus
Nipah virus (NiV) infectious can cause mild to severe disease and can result in death 40-70% of infections. NiV is a member of the Henipavirus genus, and, like other Henipaviruses, is zoonotic, with the animal reservoir being fruit bats. It is endemic in parts of Asia and a localized outbreak is seen almost annually in India, Bangladesh or other parts of Asia. This disease is communicable, spreading from person-to-person; it is considered possible for NiV to because a global pandemic.  

In September 2023 a total of six cases of NiV were confirmed in India, including two deaths, as reported by the State Government of Kerala. Since September 15, 2023, no new cases have been detected. This is the sixth outbreak of NiV in India since 2001. To date, no Henipavirus infections have been reported among travelers since its first detection in 1999.

Clinical Presentation: Influenza-like illness with dizziness, headache, fever and myalgias. The disease can progress to severe encephalitis with confusion, abnormal reflexes, seizures, and coma; respiratory symptoms also might be present. Relapsing or late-onset encephalitis can occur months or years after acute illness.

Additional resources:
CDC – General Information and Travelers Information
NETEC – What Frontline Healthcare Workers Need to Know
UNMC – India: Nipah Virus Infection Update
World Health Organization – Disease Outbreak News – Nipah Virus Infection - India