Potential airborne pathogen transmission in a hospital with and without surge control ventilation system modifications

To better understand the transport of airborne particulate matter (PM) in hospital environments when surge control strategies are implemented, tests were conducted in a recently decommissioned hospital during a one-week period. An aerosol was released within a patient room and concentrations measured in the room and hallway with and without surge control ventilation system modifications. The average hallway protection efficiencies were high (>98%) both for the baseline ventilation configuration and when the ventilation system was modified for whole floor negative pressure, indicating very little PM reached the hallway. During entry/exit events through the patient room door into the hallway, the average minimum hallway protection efficiencies were lower during the modified ventilation operation (93–94%) than for the baseline operation (98–99%). These lower hallway protection efficiencies may be explained by the 52% reduction in the outdoor air ventilation being supplied to the hallway during the modified operation mode. This suggests that patient room doors should remain closed to control PM movement into the hallway. In addition, if there is concern about airborne infection transmission, an anteroom may be used to further reduce the transport of particles from the patient rooms to the hallways of the ward. •Capacity is needed during emergencies to house patients with airborne transmissible infections.•We investigated how to contain airborne particles to a hospital ward by modified ventilation.•Hallway Protection efficiencies were >98% when ward negative pressure was achieved.•Doors should remain closed for infection control to limit particulate movement into hallway.