Findings in a study reveal that pillows are repositories for the coronavirus and presymptomatic COVID-19 patients are the source of these infections.
Researchers investigated the pre-symptomatic transmission of the coronavirus by designing a test based on these principles. Samples were obtained by checking swabs from a room with two Chinese students as quarantine subjects.
These students came from abroad, one called patient A was back on March 19, and the patient-B came on March 20 of this year.
Both students were taken into quarantine when they arrived in China with both not having symptoms associated with COVID-19. They were quarantined in a hotel for two weeks wherein both were examined by medical staff, checking their temperature and whether effects of infection have set in.
Soon after, they were tested positive for coronavirus detection, but neither was feeling anything weird. To double-check the diagnosis, all the checks were done on them and they were highly infectious, with sky-high levels of COVID-19. They are walking viral sacs that will be dangerous to others more vulnerable.
Forty-eight hours since getting placed in the hospital, patient A acquired a fever and cough. With patient B, same as A, she had fever and cough, thought a deadly turn because she had lung infections.
Immediately, samples were taken from the rooms occupied by patient A and B, when a positive result was detected. Specific places were gleaned for samples like the pillows, sheets, duvet covers, and towels, including all surfaces that the coronavirus can latch on to.
Info-wise, these two are the only occupants to reside in the hotel, which was locked down from January 24. Some insurance for the data, with one room that was free and unoccupied. This was to counter-check result take from the other room.
Tale of the samples
Researchers made these observations from about 11 samples that were collected from 22 rooms in a study to check how the spread of the coronavirus. A total of 8 positive detections was confirmed for contamination. The room of patient A had six detected hits of the coronavirus which were on sheets, duvets, pillowcases, and the towel. For the room of patient B, it was the faucet and the pillowcase again. As a contrasting result, the extra room was not used.
The big reveal is that the pillow cause carried a mother-load of highly infectious COVID-19.
In a statement by the researchers, they said that presymptomatic patients were living with viruses (virions) which happened in prior studies. It proved that any presymptomatic carriers will release more viruses, and leave tons of viruses behind. Creating a highly infections environment in a brief span of time.
Touching infected objects that are highly contagious will cause sickness more. There is contact with a bedsheet or pillow that is more dangerous than any object, said a team rep.
Never ever shake linens when taken off the bed that will worsen the viral spread. Always clean these items well, never shake and dry it. Better lookout in the kitchen and sleeping quarters too.
It seems presymptomatic patients can spread COVID-19 more, especially with pillows that are full of viruses.
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