Ventilators are spreading viruses in hospitals

Ventilation systems in hospitals are spreading viruses to other patients.

Patients who weren’t infected when they were admitted are catching viruses such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus—responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic–and seasonal flu during their hospital stay.

Researchers from University College London tracked the spread of viruses around a typical clinic that was using mechanical ventilators and portable air cleaners (PACs).  Ventilators increased viral spread nearly six times while aerosol spread from PACs rose by 29 percent.

Even simple measures such as closing the doors to the clinic reduced the spread by as much as 97 percent, the researchers found.

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