If the virus is spread through feces, how terrible is it that the sewage pipe in the community is blocked?

At the recent press conference held by the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, researchers released an important message, that is, some patients diagnosed as novel coronavirus were found to be positive for nucleic acid (RNA) in their feces after intestinal digestion. To put it simply, novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 10,000 people this time, is likely to have the possibility of fecal transmission.

While the news was released, although the newly discovered and possible transmission route of the virus was not determined, considering that the result showed that there was a high probability of living novel coronavirus in feces, professionals also pointed out the necessity of toilet disinfection. Moreover, whether it's the toilets, toilets used by suspects, patients diagnosed in novel coronavirus, or public toilets on urban roads, good ventilation and disinfection are needed in the next time.

How terrible is it when the virus encounters a sewage pipe blockage? Novel coronavirus may be transmitted by feces, which has aroused great concern, but can disinfection and ventilation cut off the transmission of feces?

First of all, at the moment when the number of infected people has not decreased significantly, any possible route of transmission will undoubtedly stimulate the public's nerves;

Secondly, whether there is fecal transmission in novel coronavirus has been under study, because it is one of the main transmission routes of many virus infections. Only by completely mastering all modes of transmission of the virus can we control the spread of the epidemic more thoroughly.

In fact, many people still remember the tragedy caused by the spread of the virus through feces, especially those who experienced SARS from 2002 to 2003. At that time, SARS broke out many times in Hong Kong, which gave important hints on the spread environment and mode of the virus, especially in Taoda Garden, where more than 300 people were infected and 42 people died, accounting for about 20% of the reported deaths in Hong Kong, which has been engraved in many people's memories.

In order to let some people who don't understand this matter, it is necessary for me to briefly sort out the special cases in this incident. When a male patient with SARS symptoms came to visit his close relatives in Taoda Garden, he repeatedly used the bathroom in the apartment and developed diarrhea symptoms. There is no doubt that all the members of his brother's family will not be spared in the following time. They are all infected with SARS without exception.

The infection is not limited to this small family, and the infection of the whole Amoy Garden has reached its peak. About 66% people in the questionnaire data have diarrhea symptoms, and only about 4% of them have had close contact with SARS patients. In the following time, the researchers reached a unanimous conclusion that although the first person to visit relatives caused the first group of people in the community to be infected with SARS, due to close contact, it further led to the spread between people.

The sewage system in the community, the virus pollution in the environment and the use of public facilities such as stairs and elevators also played a role in the spread of the virus. What surprised many people was the virus pollution in the environment and the fact that some people were infected with SARS because of the sewage system. In all the apartment buildings in Taoda Garden, the bathrooms in each unit building are interconnected on the issue of sewage pipes.

In order to prevent odor and foreign bodies such as mice, the sewage pipes connected to household bathing utensils are all connected with U-shaped water collecting pipes, which requires that sufficient water should be reserved in each water collecting pipe. However, in real life, few people will directly use the faucet to flush the bathroom floor. Therefore, those U-shaped pipes that exist under the floor drain often dry up after a long time and cannot play their original role.

In fact, people who live in Taoda Garden often suffer from the stench from the bathroom, but few people understand the truth and don't take it to heart. In scientists' experiments, such a U-shaped pipe that can't play a normal role will indeed cause some air in the sewage main to be discharged into the bathroom space from the floor drain. The bathroom with exhaust fan can spread the pollutants in the air of the bathroom to the living range of other units adjacent to it.

I believe many people know that flushing the toilet after going to the toilet will cause a lot of aerosol in the toilet. By analogy, when the virus in feces enters the invalid U-shaped water collecting pipe, some aerosols are formed. The residents who are running fans in other bathrooms suck these pollutants into their rooms because of negative pressure, and further spread to other residents adjacent to them.

Although the route of transmission in novel coronavirus has not been determined to include fecal transmission, Taoda Garden is a typical individual event. However, it also reminds us that we should not only pay attention to whether our bathrooms are thoroughly disinfected and maintain a good ventilation environment. At the same time, we also need to know something about sewage pipes.

In fact, ventilation is also very particular. For example, it is not recommended to open windows against the wind. Only proper ventilation can reduce the concentration of potentially pathogenic microorganisms indoors, thus weakening the possibility of being infected by viruses. Although, it will take some time for researchers to confirm whether novel coronavirus can be transmitted through feces.

However, the Ministry of Environment requires that the feces and sewage discharged by patients in novel coronavirus should be disinfected, and it is forbidden to discharge directly or not up to standard, including solid infectious waste and chemical waste liquid, and it is also forbidden to dump into sewers to prevent novel coronavirus from spreading through sewage and feces.

For residents in the community, if there is a U-shaped water collecting pipe in our room, we should pay attention to the water level in the U-shaped water collecting pipe regularly. It is the easiest way to fill the floor drain with water every day. Whether it is an old residential area with a long history or a newly built residential area, it is necessary to urge the property to investigate the problems of the whole sewage system. Including but not limited to the rupture of the sewage hose of the toilet or the rupture of the main sewage pipe, because these situations may increase the risk of virus infection.

Author: Shi Lan (plagiarism will be investigated)