WUHAN, Hubei — As the number of COVID-19 cases rises across the globe, researchers and medical staff are trying to figure out the best way to treat the virus.
They're also learning more about the novel coronavirus, studying how it's spread and how long itlives on different surfaces. Anewly released studyfrom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused on hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China. Researchers swabbed different surfaces in the hospitals to monitor the spread of the virus.
The study found that even in areas where there were no COVID-19 positive patients, the virus was detected on the floors and also on the shoes of medical staff.
"...as medical staff walk around the ward, the virus can be tracked all over the floor, as indicated by the 100-percent rate of positivity from the floor in the pharmacy, where there were no patients. Furthermore, half of the samples from the soles of the ICU medical staff shoes tested positive. Therefore, the soles of medical staff shoes might function as carriers." said the study.
The report then suggests medical staff disinfect their shoes before walking out of areas where COVID-19 patients are being treated to avoid spreading the virus.