STUDY: Coronavirus leaves widespread contamination in environment surrounding patients

A new study finds that coronavirus can linger in the air even after patients have left the area.

Traces of coronavirus were found by scientists in the rooms and hallways of the University of Nebraska Medical Center(UNMC). Patients in the medical centre were diagnosed with the virus and kept in isolation, according to the UNMC Newsroom.

"We are being very careful in the care of patients with COVID-19 or patients suspected to have COVID-19, and the study doesn't change very much in the precautions that people should take," said Mark Rupp, chief of the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases.

In a statement, John Lowe, the co-author of the study and vice chancellor for Interprofessional Health Security Training and Education said, "We were not incredibly surprised by any of the results we found."

"We did confirm the presence of the genetic material from the virus throughout the environment on what we refer to as high-touch surfaces or surfaces of interest -- toilets, cell phones, personal items, countertops, doorknobs."

"We also did identify a number of samples that detected the virus genes in the air, which confirmed for us the value in prioritizing respiratory protection when possible and prioritizing negative-pressure environments to provide direct patient care to these individuals."

James Lawler, another co-author who is an infectious disease expert and director of the Global Center for Health Security at UNMC noted, “Our team was already taking precautions with the initial patients we cared for.”

“This report reinforces our suspicions. It's why we have maintained COVID patients in well-equipped rooms and will continue to make efforts to do so -- even with an increase in the number of patients. Our health care workers providing care will be equipped with the appropriate level of personal protective equipment. Obviously, more research is required to be able to fully characterize environmental risk."

The World Health Organization still says the main way the virus is transmitted is through respiratory droplets from sneezing and coughing. More research is finding that wearing face masks can reduce the spread of droplets which carry the virus.