Environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 in a non-healthcare setting

• Main Authors: Wong, Judith Chui Ching, Hapuarachchi, Hapuarachchige Chanditha, Arivalan, Sathish, Tien, Wei Ping, Koo, Carmen, Mailepessov, Diyar, Kong, Marcella, Mohammad Nazeem, Lim, Merrill, Ng, Lee Ching
• Other Authors: School of Biological Sciences
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Science::Biological sciences; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/146218
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

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.