Covid patients advised to use separate bathroom, close commode lid while flushing
Covid-19 patients should use a separate bathroom, close the commode lid before flushing and clean the quarters regularly as the RNA virus has been found in patients' stools, National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology director Anan Jongkaewwattana advised on Wednesday.
Citing the latest study from Stanford University in the US, he said Covid-19 RNA was found in approximately 50 per cent of patients’ stools within a week of testing positive.
“These patients actually tested negative after taking a RT-PCR test using samples from the nasal cavity or the throat,” he said, adding that the RNA can be found in patients’ stools for up to seven months.
Anan said most patients who have Covid RNA in their stools are those with symptoms related to the digestive system, such as stomach ache and nausea.
The discovery was made in the beginning of the pandemic, but it is still unclear how long Covid-19 exists in patients’ bodies, Anan said.
“However, the research team feels Covid-19 can spread from these patients even after the quarantine period,” he added.
