Does air conditioners contribute to the spread of the viral particles of the new novel coronavirus? This claim has come in a chines research.
The research report claims that, 10 people from 3 families got Coronavirus from a restaurant in South China and the air conditioner facilitate the virus to transfer viral particles between them. The results of this research from the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention were published in the journal Emerging Infectious Disease, which is the open-source journal of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study revealed that a strong airflow from the air conditioner at a restaurant in Guangzhou City in late January transmitted viral particles to 3 tables. Researchers have suggested that the risk of such a virus infection can be reduced by increasing the distance between tables and improving the air emissions system.
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According to research, one of the 10 patients returned from Wuhan on January 23, the city where the virus first began to spread. The patient ate lunch with 3 family members at the restaurant the next day, with no window but an air conditioner on each floor. 2 other families were also present at the vicinity of the tables and one meter away, while on average they remained there for an hour.
The first patient had fever and cough symptoms on the same day and went to the hospital. In the next 2 weeks, 4 more family members, 4 in the second family and 3 in the third family were diagnosed with the new coronavirus disease COVID-19.
After the detailed research, scientists discovered that the virus transmitted to the 2nd and 3rd families from the first family at the restaurant. According to the research, after examining the possible sources of virus transmission, we concluded that the possible cause is the viral particles. Further analysis revealed that these viral particles spread through the air conditioner’s ventilation.
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Scientists discovered that 73 more people were eating with the first patient on the same floor, but symptoms of the disease did not appear within 14 days of quarantine and tests were negative, as well as none of the restaurant staff gets affected.
Researchers say the research was limited because it did not experiment and test this theory, but the best way to avoid such a problem is to use an air conditioner, but also open the windows often.