Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise Building
Although it is well established that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be transmitted through aerosols, the mode of long-range aerosol transmission in high-rise buildings remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tha...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Environmental Health Insights |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302231188269 |
| _version_ | 1827892456713093120 |
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| author | Xiaoman Jiang Chenlu Zhao Yuezhu Chen Xufang Gao Qinlong Zhang Zhenhua Chen Changxiong Li Xiaoyan Zhao Zhijian Liu Weiwei Huang Wenjun Xie Yong Yue |
| author_facet | Xiaoman Jiang Chenlu Zhao Yuezhu Chen Xufang Gao Qinlong Zhang Zhenhua Chen Changxiong Li Xiaoyan Zhao Zhijian Liu Weiwei Huang Wenjun Xie Yong Yue |
| author_sort | Xiaoman Jiang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although it is well established that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be transmitted through aerosols, the mode of long-range aerosol transmission in high-rise buildings remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that occurred in a high-rise building in China. Our objective was to investigate the plausibility of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by testing relevant environmental variables and measuring the dispersion of a tracer gas in the drainage system of the building. The outbreak involved 7 infected families, of which 6 were from vertically aligned flats on different floors. Environmenìtal data revealed that 3 families’ bathrooms were contaminated by SARS-CoV-2. In our tracer experiment, we injected tracer gas (CO 2 ) into the dry floor drains and into water-filled toilets in the index case’ s bathroom. Our findings showed that the gas could travel through vertical pipes by the dry floor drains, but not through the water of the toilets. This indicates that dry floor drains might facilitate the transmission of viral aerosols through the sewage system. On the basis of circumstantial evidence, long-range aerosol transmission may have contributed to the community outbreak of COVID-19 in this high-rise building. The vertical transmission of diseases through aerosols in high-rise buildings demands urgent attention. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:40:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ffe5855218844b1383cc9b7c04be001d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-6302 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:40:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Health Insights |
| spelling | doaj.art-ffe5855218844b1383cc9b7c04be001d2023-07-27T01:06:55ZengSAGE PublishingEnvironmental Health Insights1178-63022023-07-011710.1177/11786302231188269Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise BuildingXiaoman Jiang0Chenlu Zhao1Yuezhu Chen2Xufang Gao3Qinlong Zhang4Zhenhua Chen5Changxiong Li6Xiaoyan Zhao7Zhijian Liu8Weiwei Huang9Wenjun Xie10Yong Yue11Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChenghua Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChenghua Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, ChinaAlthough it is well established that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be transmitted through aerosols, the mode of long-range aerosol transmission in high-rise buildings remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that occurred in a high-rise building in China. Our objective was to investigate the plausibility of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by testing relevant environmental variables and measuring the dispersion of a tracer gas in the drainage system of the building. The outbreak involved 7 infected families, of which 6 were from vertically aligned flats on different floors. Environmenìtal data revealed that 3 families’ bathrooms were contaminated by SARS-CoV-2. In our tracer experiment, we injected tracer gas (CO 2 ) into the dry floor drains and into water-filled toilets in the index case’ s bathroom. Our findings showed that the gas could travel through vertical pipes by the dry floor drains, but not through the water of the toilets. This indicates that dry floor drains might facilitate the transmission of viral aerosols through the sewage system. On the basis of circumstantial evidence, long-range aerosol transmission may have contributed to the community outbreak of COVID-19 in this high-rise building. The vertical transmission of diseases through aerosols in high-rise buildings demands urgent attention.https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302231188269 |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoman Jiang Chenlu Zhao Yuezhu Chen Xufang Gao Qinlong Zhang Zhenhua Chen Changxiong Li Xiaoyan Zhao Zhijian Liu Weiwei Huang Wenjun Xie Yong Yue Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise Building Environmental Health Insights |
| title | Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise Building |
| title_full | Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise Building |
| title_fullStr | Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise Building |
| title_full_unstemmed | Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise Building |
| title_short | Probable Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in a COVID-19 Outbreak of a High-Rise Building |
| title_sort | probable evidence of aerosol transmission of sars cov 2 in a covid 19 outbreak of a high rise building |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302231188269 |
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