Indoor transmission dynamics of expired SARS-CoV-2 virus in a model African hospital ward

AbstractCough and sneeze droplets ’ interactions with indoor air of a typical hospital clinic that could be majorly found in developing African countries were studied to investigate the effectiveness of existing guidelines/protocols being adopted in the control of the widespread coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission. The inf luences of indoor air velocity, the type, size distribution, residence time in air, and trajectory of the droplets, were all considered while interrogating the effectiveness of physical distancing measures, the use of face covers, cautionary activities of the general public, and the plausibility of community spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus through airborne transmission. Series of 3-D, coupled, discrete phase models (DPM) were implemented in the numerical studies. Based on DPM concentration maps as function of particle positions and particle residence times that were observed under different dro plets release conditions, the virus-laden droplets could travel several meters away from the source of release (index patient), with smaller-sized particles staying longer in the air. The behavior of indoor air was also found to indicate complex dynamics as particle transports showed no linear depen dence on air velocity.
Source: Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research