Abstract
Aims: To utilize environmental surface sampling to evaluate areas of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) contamination within workplaces to identify trends and improve local coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control measures. Methods and results: Surface sampling was undertaken at 12 workplaces that experienced a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the workforce between March 2021 and March 2022. A total of 7.4% (61/829) samples collected were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by the quantitative PCR (qPCR) with only 1.8% (15/829) of samples identified with crossing threshold (Ct) values < 35.0. No sample returned whole-genome sequence inferring RNA detected was degraded. Conclusions: Fe w w orkplace surf ace samples were positive for SAR S-CoV-2 RNA and positive samples typically cont ained low levels of nucleic acid. Although these data may infer a low probability of fomite transmission within the workplace, Ct values may have been lower at the time of contamination. Workplace environmental sampling identified lapses in COVID-19 control measures within individual sites and showed trends throughout the pandemic.
Original language | English |
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Article number | lxad216 |
Journal | Journal of Applied Microbiology |
Volume | 134 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Oct 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 The Author(s).
Keywords
- COVID-19
- SARS-CoV-2
- cluster
- environmental surface sampling
- fomite
- outbreak
- transmission
- workplace