Surface distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in Leishenshan Hospital in China

ABSTRACT

The global pandemic of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) necessitated the rapid construction of field hospitals as the main strategies to control the detrimental effects of the outbreak. Little is known about the extent of the environmental contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in an urgently field hospital. A total of 66 surface samples were randomly collected from a general isolation ward and an ICU (intensive care unit) at a rapidly built field hospital (Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital) in Wuhan, China, from 12 March to 17 March 2020. The samples were used for SARS-CoV-2 detection and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) monitoring. Among these samples, 3.03% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The nurses' hands and nurse station in the ICU were weakly positive (CT value = 38.79;CT value = 37.56) and the ATP value of these two sites was higher than the mean value of all samples (ATP = 817;ATP = 577). The environmental cleaning and disinfection normalization bundle measures in Leishenshan hospital included air disinfection, object surface cleaning and disinfection, instrument equipment surface disinfection and hand hygiene, etc. These have been tested and were shown to be reliable and useful. Our experience can provide a useful reference in the fight against the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19.