Even before developing symptoms, patients with Covid-19 can still contaminate objects around them, such as sheets or door handles, according to a study by Chinese scientists and published by health officials on Monday. American. This study, although covering only two patient rooms, reinforces the idea that asymptomatic people can be important vectors of the pandemic.
The researchers studied the case of two Chinese students who returned to their country in mid-March and were quarantined in a hotel when they showed no symptoms. They tested positive for the new coronavirus there and were transferred to the hospital the next day. Shortly after confirmation of their Covid-19 infection, samples were taken from each of their hotel rooms on various objects: switches, door handles, taps, television remote control, pillows, towels or toilet seat .
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Eight out of 22 samples, or 36%, revealed the presence of the virus: six in the room of patient A (switch and sheets in particular) and two in the room of patient B (tap and pillow). Even when the patients had stayed less than 24 hours in this hotel. "The samples taken from pillows and sheets had a significant viral load , " notes the study, carried out in particular by scientists from the Chinese Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), and published by the American CDC.
According to the authors, it demonstrates that "presymptomatic patients have a high viral load rejection and can easily contaminate their environment" , they add, advising therefore not to shake the sheets of patients when changing and washing them and dry thoroughly.
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After admission to hospital, the two patients developed moderate symptoms of Covid-19, including fever and cough, two days later for patient A, and 6 days later for patient B.
Another study published at the beginning of March and carried out by scientists of a research center Singapore had already shown, starting from three rooms of patients in quarantine, that these contaminated abundantly the surfaces, including the windows or the ground. But these patients were already showing symptoms.