Long-distance airborne dispersal of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 wards

Evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can be dispersed and potentially transmitted by aerosols, directly or via ventilation systems. We report detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in COVID-19 ward ceiling vent openings as well as in ventilation exhaust filters and central ducts up to at least 56 meters from patient areas. As this ventilation system provides low air flow, we propose that viral particles may be readily dispersed in air over vast distances and that further investigations of infectivity of airborne SARS-CoV-2 must be performed.