Understanding the particle size distribution in the air and patterns of environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for infection prevention policies. Here we screen surface and air samples from hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Environmental sampling is conducted in three airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs) in the ICU and 27 AIIRs in the general ward. 245 surface samples are collected. 56.7% of rooms have at least one environmental surface contaminated. High touch surface contamination is shown in ten (66.7%) out of 15 patients in the first week of illness, and three (20%) beyond the first week of illness (p = 0.01, χ2 test). Air sampling is performed in three of the 27 AIIRs in the general ward, and detects SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive particles of sizes >4 µm and 1–4 µm in two rooms, despite these rooms having 12 air changes per hour. This warrants further study of the airborne transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2. Here, the authors sample air and surfaces in hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients, detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air samples of two of three tested airborne infection isolation rooms, and find surface contamination in 66.7% of tested rooms during the first week of illness and 20% beyond the first week of illness.
Die Übertragung des Coronavirus durch Aerosole, also Schwebeteile in der Luft, gerät immer mehr in den Fokus. Sie könnte gleichbedeutend mit der Tröpfchenübertragung sein, sagte der Virologe Christian Drosten im Dlf. Regelmäßiges Lüften könne das Risiko einer Aerosol-Übertragung verringern.
London und Los Alamos/New Mexico − Das neue Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 hat sich seit den ersten Infektionen genetisch verändert. Die bisher entdeckten... #SARS-CoV-2 #Mutationen #Studie