Surface Distribution of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in a Negative Pressure Ward at an Urgently Field Hospital

Background: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has now become a global pandemic. This necessitated the rapid construction of field hospitals and negative pressure isolation wards as the main strategies to control the detrimental effects of the outbreak. Currently, little is known about the extent of environmental contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a negative pressure ward at an urgently field hospital. Methods: A total of 66 surface samples were randomly collected from a general isolation ward and an ICU at a rapidly built field hospital (Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital) in Wuhan, China, from March 12th to March 17th, 2020. The samples were used for SARS-CoV-2 detection and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) monitoring. Findings: Among the samples, 3.03% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The nurse’s hand 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). Of note, 34 samples from the general ward tested negative. The mean ATP value for samples from ICU exceeded that for samples from the general ward (ATP value for ICU samples =459.25±415.65; ATP value for general ward samples= 191±342.3). Interpretation: These findings suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 cannot survive in negative pressure wards even in rapidly built field hospitals. Thus, rapidly built field hospitals with negative pressure wards are essential components in the fight against the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19. Funding Statement: Emergency Science and Technology Project (2020FCA013) Declaration of Interests: The authors have declared no competing interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University (2020064).