Study finds high virus contamination of surfaces, air around COVID patients

A study published in the journal nature has given further supportive evidence that SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes covid-19, can be transmitted by air or through surfaces. The study revealed environmental contamination of surface and air samples with the virus in places where covid-19 positive patients were isolated.

University of Nebraska Medical Center conducted the study in association with National Strategic Research Institute USA. During the initial isolation of 13 individuals with Covid-19 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the researchers collected air and surface samples to examine viral shedding from isolated individuals.

The researchers said they detected viral contamination among all samples, supporting the use of airborne isolation precautions when caring for covid-19 patients.

The study has highlighted that as the pandemic progressed, a continued paucity of evidence on routes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission has resulted in shifting infection prevention and control guidelines between classically-defined airborne and droplet precautions.

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