Hospital air frequently contaminated with COVID-19, study findsA study of hospital air contamination in JAMA Network Open last week found that 17.4% of air samples from environments near COVID-19 patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the virus that causes COVID-19, but only 8.6% contained viable virus.Researchers reviewed 24 observational studies of air contamination in hospital settings from Jan 1 to Oct 27 with data on SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA positivity rates detected by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), viral culture, air ventilation systems, and distance from patients.Overall, 82 of 471 air samples (17.4%) from close patient environments (within 5 meters) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with no significant