1. Environmental Contamination of SARS-CoV-2 in a Non-Healthcare Setting.
- Author
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Wong JCC, Hapuarachchi HC, Arivalan S, Tien WP, Koo C, Mailepessov D, Kong M, Nazeem M, Lim M, and Ng LC
- Subjects
- Disinfection, Environmental Pollution, Hospitals, Humans, COVID-19 transmission, Fomites virology, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification
- Abstract
Fomite-mediated transmission has been identified as a possible route for the spread of COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. In healthcare settings, environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 has been found in patients' rooms and toilets. Here, we investigated environmental presence of SARS-CoV-2 in non-healthcare settings and assessed the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection in removing virus contamination. A total of 428 environmental swabs and six air samples was taken from accommodation rooms, toilets and elevators that have been used by COVID-19 cases. By using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay, we detected two SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive samples in a room where a COVID-19 patient stayed prior to diagnosis. The present study highlights the risk of fomite-mediated transmission in non-healthcare settings and the importance of surface disinfection in spaces occupied by cases. Of note, neither air-borne transmission nor surface contamination of elevators, which were transiently exposed to infected individuals, was evident among samples analyzed.
- Published
- 2020
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