SARS History Repeating? Virus Can Spread Through Pipes...

INTO Guide: A new case in Hong Kong was publicized of the new coronavirus spreading through neighbors of the same building through the piping system. 

  

「Health officials in Hong Kong are conducting a partial evacuation of residents from an apartment block following possibility that the coronavirus may have been transmitted via the building piping system」, said Professor KY Yuen, Hong Kong’s leading microbiologist on Tuesday.

Health officials have traced at least two confirmed cases of the coronavirus to the specific residential building called Hong Mei House in the Tsing Yi area of Hong Kong.

"As the pipeline that transfers feces is connected to the air pipe, it is very likely for the virus in the feces to be transmitted through the air fan into the toilet," Professor Yuen said. 

Parts of the building were evacuated as a precaution while health officials and engineers carried out emergency checks, he added. 

Professor Yuen said that the transmission route is not clear yet, so the evacuation was taken to protect the residents of the building. 
Yuen’s remarks came after the government announced seven new NCP cases, bringing the total in the city to 49. 

    

A Review Of Residential Building Case Of SARSSARS spread in Hong Kong Amoy gardens in 2003, resulted in 321 confirmed cases, 42 people died. 

The SARS virus ran down to toilet drains and ventilation systems eventually infected 321 people. This is a very unique, very frightening case of transmission. An investigation was held by the Hong Kong government and a World Health Organization experts』 group. 

The WHO believed that it was a result of a series of coincidences that the virus spread in this way. For example, it is a coincidence that the layout of the courtyard allows the virus to enter other residential buildings, or that the water pump of the building is closed for maintenance. 

The WHO report did not consider this a common form of transmission, so people do not be panic about this.

HK expert: Hong Mei House case is not a repeat of Amoy Gardens

Yuen Kwok-Yung on Tuesday said Hong Mei House in Tsing Yi, where two residents living on different floors contracted the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP), which is 「absolutely」 not a copy of Amoy Gardens that saw a massive outbreak of SARS infection in 2003. 

In 2003, small droplets carrying the SARS virus passed through the dried-up U-bend drains that connected the toilets of the whole building. 

Yuen called on all Hong Kong people not to overly worried that there would be a repeat of the Amoy Gardens outbreak. 

Though the possibilities are very low, to take pre-cautions of preventing the virus to spread through pipes you make take the following action, which is also recommended by medical authorities. 

The easiest and cost-efficient way is to fill a plastic bag with water like a water-balloon and placed it on top of any areas where outer air may enter.

Source: ChinaDailyHK, Channel News Asia
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