Between 23 and 26 June, 17 of the 21 residents in a nursing home ward of De Tweemaster in Maassluis became infected with the corona virus. Six of them died. 18 employees also contracted the virus, while staff wore mouth and nose masks with the exception of breaks.
The case was investigated by the experts of the regional hospital. They are convinced that the contamination must have gone through the ventilation system. According to them, that cannot be otherwise. But the RIVM is trying to make things smaller, writes De Volkskrant
Medical microbiologist Peter de Man of Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland to De Volkskrant: “As a department, we are convinced that the virus has spread through the air under the influence of the ventilation system.”
In the documents of the RIVM this has been considerably watered down. “The combination of findings (…) is suggestive of further spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus through a ventilation system,” it says.
Although hard evidence is still lacking, airborne virus spread is becoming more and more of an issue. In the international scientific literature, Asian case studies are known, for example of mass contamination in a restaurant, a call center and a bus, where it is strongly suspected that the climate control system played a role. The WHO and the European Health Institute ECDC also warn against recirculation of indoor air, for example through air conditioning systems.
Bron(nen): De Volkskrant (€) –
–
