IQ Air Purifier Chosen to Fight SARS

Hong Kong chooses IQ Air to help contain deadly virus

by IQ Air

SANTE FE SPRINGS, Calif., Oct. 16 2003, IQAir North America announced today that the Hong Kong Hospital Authority (HKHA) has selected IQAir's advanced air filtration systems as a new tool for combating the SARS virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the most effective strategy in preventing another major SARS outbreak will be finding ways to limit transmission of the disease. The HKHA's selection of IQAir marks the first time specialized room air cleaners will be used as a control measure against SARS.

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Much like the common flu, SARS is spread by close contact. When a person with SARS coughs or sneezes, or even during normal breathing, they contaminate the surrounding air with tiny droplets of infected matter. Breathing the contaminated air can then infect someone in close proximity of the infected person. According to the CDC, "It is possible that SARS can also spread more broadly through the air." Since there is no specific antiviral treatment for SARS, the most effective strategy is containment. While it is the WHO's first objective to prevent the international spread of this deadly disease, local health care institutions have begun looking for infection control measures that will help prevent further infections inside the hospitals themselves.

The HKHA currently manages 43 public hospitals, 47 specialist outpatient clinics and 13 general outpatient clinics in Hong Kong. The region was one of the worst affected areas in last winter's SARS epidemic with 1755 reported SARS cases (376 of which concerned healthcare workers), resulting in a total of 300 deaths.

"Nearly one fourth of all SARS infections in last winter's epidemic involved healthcare workers," said Robert Wiltbank, Vice President of Medical Air Solutions, a company that advises hospitals on infection control measures. "The risk of the disease being transmitted to other patients or healthcare workers is a major worldwide concern."

The HKHA focused on special engineering controls as part of their strategy in the fight against SARS. In order to find the most effective and reliable solution the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) of the Hong Kong Government performed rigorous tests on induct HVAC systems and room air cleaners. With the help of sophisticated laser particle counters that record the number of particles in the air, even those down below the size of a virus, the EMSD tested the actual filtration efficiency of numerous air filtration systems. After weeks of testing and the installation of several trial systems the HKHA finally chose IQAir as the only room air cleaner for SARS patients' rooms.

In the event that SARS is suspected in a patient, the HKHA will place a self contained mobile air cleaning system next to the patient's bed in Hong Kong hospitals. A flexible suction arm attached to the machine will be positioned near the patient's face to capture airborne droplets that are expelled by coughing and sneezing. The contaminated air is then drawn into the system and filtered in a 4-stage filtration process. At the final filtration stage the air cleaning system will remove even the tiniest airborne particulates, including the SARS virus, from the air. As a result the risk of infection within the patient's room can be greatly reduced, thus providing a safer working environment for healthcare personnel and reducing the possibility of spreading of the disease.

"This is true prevention," says Frank Hammes, President of IQAir North America. "Hong Kong is breaking new ground in infection control."

IQAir North America, Inc. is a member of the Swiss-based IQAir Group that develops, manufactures and markets innovative air quality products for indoor environments. Hospitals and other critical environments use IQAir products worldwide. They also manufacture home air cleaning units for allergy and asthma sufferers and individuals with chemical sensitivities.

IQAir is a registered trademark of the IQAir Group.

See the complete selection of IQair air purifiers compared to each other. Also you can see our complete range of air purifiers and a comparison chart.

First Published: Late-October, 2003
Updated: February 2007

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