Cited by 2,140Infection Control and VentilationInfection Control in HealthcareSARS-CoV-2 detection and testing

Air, surface environmental, and personal protective equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from a symptomatic patient

Open access
Ong, Sean Wei Xiang, Tan, Yian Kim, Chia, Po Ying, Lee, Tau Hong, Ng, Oon Tek, Wong, Michelle Su Yen, Marimuthu, Kalisvar·2020·JAMA

Abstract

This study documents results of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of environmental surfaces and personal protective equipment surrounding 3 COVID-19 patients in isolation rooms in a Singapore hospital.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1001/jama.2020.3227

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5 of 5 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Data from studies of SARS-CoV-2 contamination of the environment based on the presence of viral ribonucleic acid and infectious virus suggest significant fomite contamination.

    “Data from studies of SARS‐CoV‐2 contamination of the environment based on the presence of viral ribonucleic acid and infectious virus suggest significant fomite contamination (Lin 2022; Onakpoya 2022b; Ong 2020; Wu 2020).”

    From Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (2023) · cites this paper as Ong 2020

    The Results report RT-PCR-positive swabs from numerous surfaces in one patient’s room, supporting substantial surface contamination by viral RNA. The Discussion says viral culture was not done to demonstrate viability, so this paper does not support the infectious-virus part of the claim. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Contributions: We thank Barnaby Edward Young, MB, BChir, and Ding Ying, PhD, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, for assistance with sample processing; Marcus Gum, BSc, and Yvonne Lau, PhD, DSO National Laboratories, Singapore, for assistance with sample RT-PCR testing; and Brenda Sze Peng Ang, MBBS, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Boon Huan Tan, PhD, DSO National Laboratories, and Yee-Sin Leo, MBBS, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, for overall supervision and guidance. No compensation was received for their roles in the study.
  2. Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, et al. Clinical characteristics of 138 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA. Published online February 7, 2020. doi:10.1001/jama. 2020.1585 · DOI · Paper page

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Authors
Ong, S. W. X., Tan, Y. K., Chia, P. Y., Lee, T. H., Ng, O. T., Wong, M. S. Y., & Marimuthu, K.
Affiliations
  • National Centre for Infectious Diseases (SG)
  • DSO National Laboratories (SG)
Corresponding author
Marimuthu, Kalisvar
Venue
JAMA
Published
2020-04-28
Volume
323
Issue
16
Pages
1610
ISSN
  • 0002-9955 (ISSN-L)
  • 0098-7484
OpenAlex
W3010449299
Cited by
2,140
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 65 · 2023: 140 · 2022: 282 · 2021: 639 · 2020: 967 · 2019: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
285.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • JAMA (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Medical Research Council (MOH-000276)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Infection Control and Ventilation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Infection Control in Healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, environmental contamination, surface contamination, personal protective equipment, airborne transmission, symptomatic patients, isolation rooms, hospital infection control, fomite transmission
MeSH terms
Personal Protective Equipment, Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Equipment and Supplies, Hospital, Equipment Contamination, Humans, Pneumonia, Viral, Virus Shedding, Coronavirus Infections, Pandemics, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

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