You may have heard a lot about the novel COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in the news and from your friends and relatives. According to WHO, the pandemic can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth of a person infected with COVID-19 or through direct touch, which can even be a mere handshake.
These are the only reasons identified for Coronavirus spread, but wait, there are some news reports raising questions that can the virus be spread through bathroom pipes. Case in point is a 30-story Hong Mei House in Hong Kong’s Tsing Yi, where two residents were found infected with Coronavirus in last few days one after the other.
First, a 75-year-old man became infected and then a 62-year-old woman was diagnosed with the virus in the same building. It did not stop here and three more cases occurred later on.
Looking into the matter, local authorities partially evacuated residents from an apartment block over the fears that the Coronavirus could have been transmitted via the building’s pipes. However, it’s unclear for now but still, precautions were taken.
According to the initial investigation, all the infected residents were living in the apartments numbered seven on different floors of the building but in the same line vertically. The toilet discharge pipes of these apartments were linked with each other, which is doubted as the reason for the spread of the disease in other apartments. One of the patients had a modified bathroom pipe, which may have become a route for the virus.
Scientists have found the Coronavirus in feces, which implies that there are chances the virus may have transmitted through the sewage pipes of the building; however, investigations are still going on.
Also Read: How to Maintain Cleanliness at Home
The building is under investigation and nothing can be said conclusively for now. After the incident, Hong Kong’s Center for Health Protection has advised the public to maintain drainage pipes by regularly pouring water into drain outlets, the U-pipes, and the flush. It is also requested that the toilet lid should be placed down before flushing to avoid spreading germs.
The information regarding COVID-19 is changing continuously. What you are doing today may not be the same as what is advised by next week. Be prepared for the change, don’t give to hearsays and abide by the advisories in your part of the world. Remember these are testing times but it is not going to be like this forever.
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