HALF of air samples taken from the hospital halls and one-fifth of the bathrooms have high levels of coronavirus, the study finds
- Researchers analyzed 24 studies from eight countries between January 1 and October 27 that examined COVID-19 and air pollution.
- Air samples from ICU chambers were more than twice as likely to be positive for virus genetic material at 25.2%, compared to 10.7% for non-ICU chambers.
- More than one-fifth, 23.8%, of samples taken from toilets and / or baths were positive for viral RNA
- Hallway samples were most likely to return positive to 56.3%
A new study suggests that large amounts of new coronavirus may be found in the air in several hospital locations.
The researchers found that a quarter of all ICU rooms with patients with COVID-19 were contaminated with genetic material of the virus, known as SARS-CoV-2.
Moreover, more than 20 percent of the samples in the toilets and bathrooms, as well as more than half of the samples in the halls returned positive.
The team, from the Central Hospital of the University of Nantes in France, says the high concentration of the virus, along with many people crammed into poorly ventilated rooms, could explain how front-line health workers end up contracting the virus, despite wearing personal protective equipment.
The researchers analyzed 24 studies from eight countries between January 1 and October 27 that examined COVID-19 and air contamination. Pictured: Medical staff member Tanna Ingraham speaks with an ICU COVID-19 patient at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, December 21
A total of 23.8% of the air samples taken from the hospital’s toilets and baths returned positive for viral genetic material, as did 56.3% of the samples taken from the halls.
For the analysis, published in the JAMA Network Open, the team looked for articles covering COVID-19 and air contamination from January 1 to October 27.
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 the rooms of hospitalized patients, both inside and outside it; clinical areas, including nurse stations; staff areas, such as locker rooms; public areas such as halls and main entrances; and toilets and / or bathrooms.
Of the 893 samples taken, 17.4% 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%, compared to 10.7% for non-ICU rooms.
Apart from intensive care rooms, the highest percentage of contaminated samples comes 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.
The researchers say this is likely because the bathrooms are small and poorly ventilated, in addition to the fact that the genetic material of the virus is found in stool samples.
“Washing the toilet can lead to RNA aerosolization in small, non-ventilated toilets or bathrooms,” they wrote.
In addition, 56.3 percent of the hallway samples returned positive, with an overall positivity rate of 33.3 percent in public areas.
The samples from the staff areas were about 12% positive.
A total of 19.2 percent of positive samples were found in meeting rooms and 3.9 percent in locker rooms.
“The finding of high concentrations in staff rooms (eg meeting rooms and dining rooms) is consistent with the possible cross-transmission of COVID-19 between [healthcare professionals] during breaks’, the authors wrote.
“During these periods, facial masks are frequently removed in small, unventilated areas.”
The team says it is unclear whether the air contains viruses that are viable enough to infect humans and hopes to study the subject in future research.
“The high viral loads found in toilets and / or bathrooms, staff areas and public halls support a careful analysis of these areas to prevent COVID-19 transmission,” the authors wrote.
“However, the presence of viable viruses should be considered in the first place, given that it is a necessary link for the potential for cross-transmission.”