Environmental Contamination of SARS-CoV-2 in a Non-Healthcare Setting

Judith Chui Ching Wong, Hapuarachchige Chanditha Hapuarachchi, Sathish Arivalan, Wei Ping Tien, Carmen Koo, Diyar Mailepessov, Marcella Kong, Mohammad Nazeem, Merrill Lim and Lee Ching Ng
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Judith Chui Ching Wong: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Hapuarachchige Chanditha Hapuarachchi: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Sathish Arivalan: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Wei Ping Tien: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Carmen Koo: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Diyar Mailepessov: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Marcella Kong: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Mohammad Nazeem: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Merrill Lim: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore
Lee Ching Ng: Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, 11, Biopolis Way, Helios Block, #06-05/08, Singapore 138667, Singapore

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-10

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.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; environment; surface contamination; polymerase chain reaction; fomite; transmission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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