%0 Journal Article
%T Air and Environmental Contamination Caused by COVID-19 Patients: a Multi-Center Study.
%A Kim UJ
%A Lee SY
%A Lee JY
%A Lee A
%A Kim SE
%A Choi OJ
%A Lee JS
%A Kee SJ
%A Jang HC
%J J Korean Med Sci
%V 35
%N 37
%D Sep 2020 21
%M 32959546
%F 5.354
%R 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e332
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of air and surface contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in four health care facilities with hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We investigated air and environmental contamination in the rooms of eight COVID-19 patients in four hospitals. Some patients were in negative-pressure rooms, and others were not. None had undergone aerosol-generating procedures. On days 0, 3, 5, and 7 of hospitalization, the surfaces in the rooms and anterooms were swabbed, and air samples were collected 2 m from the patient and from the anterooms.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>All 52 air samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Widespread surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was observed. In total, 89 of 320 (27%) environmental surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was common in rooms without surface disinfection and in rooms sprayed with disinfectant twice a day. However, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in a room cleaned with disinfectant wipes on a regular basis.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Our data suggest that remote (> 2 m) airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from hospitalized COVID-19 patients is uncommon when aerosol-generating procedures have not been performed. Surface contamination was widespread, except in a room routinely cleaned with disinfectant wipes.