Data from: Dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 in air surrounding COVID-19 infected individuals with mild symptoms

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the transmission modes of
SARS-CoV-2—particularly the role of aerosol transmission—has been much
debated. Accumulating evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted
by aerosols, and not only via larger respiratory droplets. In this study,
we quantified SARS-CoV-2 in air surrounding 14 test subjects in a
controlled setting. All subjects had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by a
recent positive PCR test and had mild symptoms when included in the study.
RT-PCR and cell culture analyses were performed on air samples collected
at distances of one, two, and four meters from test subjects.
Oronasopharyngeal samples were taken from consenting test subjects and
analyzed by RT-PCR. Additionally, total aerosol particles were quantified
during air sampling trials. Air viral concentrations at one-meter distance
were significantly correlated with both viral loads in the upper airways,
mild coughing, and fever. One sample collected at four-meter distance was
RT-PCR positive. No samples were successfully cultured. The results
reported here have potential application for SARS-CoV-2 detection and
monitoring schemes, and for increasing our understanding of SARS-CoV-2
transmission dynamics.