Analysis of the Virus Contamination and Disinfection Effect in Isolation Ward of Patients With COVID-19.

Minqiang Lin,Lixin Qiu,Qinsheng Deng,Yuzhen Ye,Shiyang Zhang,Chuanpeng Wang,Zhiyong Li,Zhanxiang Wang

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00486

Minqiang Lin, Lixin Qiu + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00486

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Abstract

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has infected a large number of patients, increasing the importance of adequate disinfection of the hospital environment. We conducted this study to explore environmental virus contamination and the effect of terminal disinfection in the isolation ward of patients with COVID-19. A swab kit was used to sample various surfaces in the isolation and observation wards using the smear method. The samples were immediately sent to the PCR department of the laboratory for nucleic acid detection of COVID-19. We analyzed 31 high-frequency contact sites in three isolation wards of actively sick patients, of which seven were positive (22.58%, 7/31). Positive sites included the transfer window, bed rail, buffer room door handle, toilet door handle, and toilet faucet. All 55 samples taken from the wards of cured patients and the wards after terminal disinfection were negative. Virus contamination in areas frequently touched by patients in the isolation ward was high, so the awareness of correct disinfection must be increased. Use of 1,000–2,000 mg/L chlorine-containing disinfectant in the isolation ward was effective.

Highlights

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, in December 2019 [1,2,3], more than 86,000 cases have been confirmed in China as of the end of 19 July 2020
We used virus sampling swabs to wipe the surface of places with high-frequency contact in the isolation ward [9, 10]
A total of 31 samples were collected from three isolation wards of patients actively sick with COVID-19

Summary

Introduction

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, in December 2019 [1,2,3], more than 86,000 cases have been confirmed in China as of the end of 19 July 2020. Suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 are diagnosed and treated in a specific hospital, which poses a challenge in terms of preventing cross-infection. It is important to effectively clean and disinfect environmental surfaces in hospitals [6, 7]. To effectively guide disinfection of the hospital isolation ward, staff from the hospital infection management department went to the isolation ward of patients newly-diagnosed with COVID-19. Samples were taken from surfaces to investigate environmental virus contamination and the result of virus inactivation by the current disinfection method

Methods

Results

Conclusion