HALF air samples taken from hospital corridors and one-fifth from bathrooms have high levels of coronavirus, the study shows
- Researchers looked at 24 studies from eight countries between January 1 and October 27 that examined COVID-19 and air pollution
- Air samples from ICU compartments were more than twice as likely to be positive for the genetic material of the virus at 25.2% compared to 10.7% for non-ICU compartments
- More than one-fifth, 23.8%, of samples taken from toilets and / or bathrooms were positive for viral RNA
- Samples from times were most likely to return positive at 56.3%
Large amounts of the new coronavirus can be found in the air in several hospital settings, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that a quarter of all ICU rooms with COVID-19 patients were contaminated with the genetic material of the virus, known as SARS-CoV-2.
What’s more, more than 20 percent of the samples from toilets and bathrooms as well as more than half of the samples from the hallways came back positive.
The team from the Central Hospital at the University of Nantes in France says that the high concentration of the virus along with many people crammed into poorly ventilated rooms could explain how frontline healthcare professionals end up getting the virus despite having personal protective equipment.
Researchers looked at 24 studies from eight countries between January 1 and October 27 that examined COVID-19 and air pollution. The photo: Medical Officer Tanna Ingraham talks to a patient in the COVID-19 ICU at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, December 21
A total of 23.8% of air samples taken from the hospital’s toilets and bathrooms returned positive for viral genetic material, just as 56.3% of samples taken from corridors
For the analysis, published in the JAMA Network Open, the team searched for articles covering COVID-19 and air pollution between January 1st and October 27th.
A total of 24 studies were included from eight countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Iran.
Air samples were taken from hospitalized patients’ rooms both in and out of ICUs; clinical areas, including nursing home staff areas such as changing rooms; public areas such as hallways and main entrances; and toilets and / or bathrooms.
Of the 893 samples taken, 17.4 percent were positive for viral RNA or coronavirus genetic material.
Air samples from ICU rooms were more than twice as likely to be positive for the virus at 25.2 percent compared to 10.7 percent for non-ICU rooms.
Apart from ICU rooms, the highest percentage of contaminated samples came from toilets and hallways.
More than one-fifth, 23.8 percent, of samples taken from toilets and / or bathrooms were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Researchers say this is probably because the bathrooms are small and poorly ventilated in addition to the genetic material of the virus being found in fecal samples.
‘Toilet flushing can lead to aerosolization of RNA in small and unventilated toilets or bathrooms,’ they wrote.
In addition, 56.3 percent of samples from corridors came back positive with an overall positivity of 33.3 percent in public areas.
Samples from staff areas were approx. 12 percent positive.
A total of 19.2 percent of positive samples were found in meeting rooms and 3.9 percent in locker rooms.
The discovery of high concentrations in staff rooms (ie meeting rooms and dining rooms) is consistent with the possible cross-transmission of COVID-19 among [healthcare professionals] in breaks, ‘the authors wrote.
‘During these periods, face masks are often removed in small areas without ventilation.’
The team says it is not clear if the air contains viruses that are viable enough to infect humans, and hopes to study this topic in future research.
‘High viral loads found in toilets and / or bathrooms, staff areas and public corridors argue for careful consideration of these areas to prevent COVID-19 transmission,’ the authors wrote.
‘However, the presence of viable viruses should be considered first and foremost as it is a required link for the potential for cross-transmission.’