We performed an environmental sampling study to investigate the environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 by COVID-19 patients with prolonged PCR positive status of clinical samples. We sampled the air from rooms for nine COVID-19 patients with illness or positive PCR > 30 days, before and after nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabbing and before and after nebulization treatment. We also sampled patients’ surroundings and healthcare workers’ personal protection equipment (PPE) in a non-ICU ward. SARS-CoV-2 was detected by PCR. Eighty-eight samples were collected from high-touch surfaces and floors in patient rooms and toilets, with only the bedsheets of two patients and one toilet positive for SARS-CoV-2. All air samples (n = 34) were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Fifty-five samples collected from PPE were all negative. Contamination of near-patient surroundings was uncommon for COVID-19 patients with prolonged PCR positive status if environmental cleaning/disinfection were performed rigorously. Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was unlikely in these non-ICU settings.

中文翻译：

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PCR阳性时间延长的COVID-19患者在非ICU隔离病房的患者周围环境和个人防护设备上的SARS-CoV-2污染

我们进行了一项环境抽样研究，以调查COVID-19患者的临床样品长时间处于PCR阳性状态，对SARS-CoV-2的环境污染。我们抽取了9例COVID-19患病或阳性PCR> 30天，鼻咽/口咽擦拭前后，雾化治疗前后的患者的空气。我们还在非ICU病房中对患者的周围环境和医护人员的个人保护设备（PPE）进行了采样。通过PCR检测SARS-CoV-2。从患者房间和卫生间的高接触表面和地板上收集了88个样品，其中只有2个患者的床单和1个卫生间的SARS-CoV-2阳性。所有空气样本（n = 34）均为SARS-CoV-2阴性。从PPE收集的55个样品均为阴性。如果严格执行环境清洁/消毒操作，则对于长时间处于PCR阳性状态的COVID-19患者，通常不会污染患者附近的环境。在这些非ICU环境中，SARS-CoV-2的机载传播不太可能。