P. Chia, K. K. Coleman, Y. K. Tan, S. W. Ong, Marcus Gum, S. K. Lau, Xiao Fang Lim, A. Lim, Stephanie Sutjipto, Pei Hua Lee, Than The Son, B. Young, D. Milton, G. Gray, S. Schuster, T. Barkham, P. De, S. Vasoo, M. Chan, B. Ang, B. Tan, Y. Leo, O. Ng, M. Wong, K. Marimuthu, David Chien Poh Lian Cheng Chuan Li Min Lawrence Tau Hon Lye Lim Lee Ling Lee Lee Wong Sadarangani Lin Ng S, D. Lye, P. Lim, Cheng Chuan Lee, L. Ling, Lawrence Lee, Tau-Hong Lee, Chen Seong Wong, S. Sadarangani, R. Lin, D. H. L. Ng, M. Sadasiv, T. Yeo, Chiaw Yee Choy, G. Tan, F. Dimatatac, Isais Florante Santos, C. Go, Yu Kit Chan, Jun-Yang Tay, J. Tan, N. Pandit, B. Ho, S. Mendis, Yuan Yi Constance Chen, M. Abdad, D. Moses
Nature Communications, 2020
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, χ 2 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.
Cited by 247 publications.
Field of study: Medicine