CMM Weekly News Recap-January 31, 2020

A new virus that originated in China continued to be big news this week, as the CDC confirmed several cases have spread to the United States through travelers returning from central China to the Seattle area, Chicago, California, and Arizona. The good news is that growth of the coronavirus (2019-nCOV) has been limited in the United States and federal officials are keeping an eye on those at risk by monitoring people who came in contact with U.S. patients and screening airline passengers returning to from Wuhan, China.

If the virus were to rapidly spread, infection control specialists, including those at the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a division of ISSA, can prepare cleaning professionals in the proper cleaning and disinfection methods as well as recommend the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to wear, including surgical masks and N95 respirators. GBAC officials say hygiene processes that can protect against the flu should be just as effective in protecting against 2019-nCOV. This is good to know, as you are much more likely to catch the flu than coronavirus, according to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC estimates so far this season there have been at least 15 million flu illnesses, 140,000 hospitalizations, and 8,200 deaths. Fifteen additional pediatric deaths were reported in the latest surveillance report, bringing the total to 54. So don’t become complacent on cleaning and disinfecting your facilities to protect against this seasonal illness.

Odors are another cleaning issue that is just as inevitable as the flu. A new online survey from Oxy-Gen Powered found that a majority (93%) of participants would form a negative perception of an organization if its facility smelled bad. More than half (56%) said they would assume the foul-smelling facility is not clean, 54% said they would look for an alternative facility, and 34% would never return to the facility again. These survey results make facility managers realize the importance of successful odor control.

We hope you spend the weekend in clean and fresh-smelling buildings, free from flu germs, and return to your computer on Monday to read more news from CMM.