OBJECTIVE To explore the risk of infection faced by medical institutions with restricted water sources after blood, and to provide reference for the prevention of flood-related nosocomial infections, with reference to the current situation of medical and healthcare institutions in the areas of Beijing that have suffered from floods.

METHODS The Beijing center for quality control and improvement of hospital infection management organized experts to investigate the disease situation of 11 medical institutions in the flooded areas of Beijing by means of on-site surveys, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews and questionnaires on August 2 and 3, 2023, to understand the situation of water supply and the plight of water supply in medical institutions in the affected areas, and the risk of hospital infection that may be caused by the situation.

RESULTS Among the 11 medical institutions in disaster areas, 9 medical institutions had problems with water for domestic and therapeutic use, which were unable to guarantee medical water for long periods of time when the water supply was cut off, flood-related emergency preparations were inadequate, the quality and safety of their back-up or emergency replacement water sources and quantity of water were not adequately safeguarded, the risk of nosocomial infection was relatively high, and rapid resumption of treatment and diagnostics after flood was a challenge.

CONCLUSION After the flood, medical institutions were restricted to use water, and hospital infection prevention and control will face greater risks and challenges. The hospital infection emergency prevention and control plan should include a special study and establish a reserve of emergency equipment, facilities, professionals and corresponding resources for hospital infection prevention and control under extreme disaster conditions, so as to minimize the occurrence of infectious diseases in the hospital population after the flood.