MELITTA Scientific and Industrial Enterprise

On 6 October 2020, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) handed over ultraviolet (UV) antibacterial system equipment to the Scientific Research Institute of Virology of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan as part of pandemic-related aid.

The mobile-pulsed xenon UV antibacterial system equipment helps to disinfect air and surfaces at hospitals, which can protect medical personnel from contracting COVID-19 when carrying out their duties and responsibilities. The equipment will be used in the healthcare system and will assist with preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

“Curtailing the spread of COVID-19 will allow Uzbekistan to better deal with the negative economic effects and security impacts of the pandemic,” explained John MacGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “The pandemic related to COVID-19 is the most serious transnational threat to global and regional security for many generations. In keeping with the OSCE’s mandate for comprehensive security, the PCUz has donated the mobile-pulsed UV antibacterial system in order to assist Uzbekistan in its fight against this transnational threat.”

•  OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan provides humanitarian aid

In April 2020, "48th Central Research Institute" of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation evaluated the “Alfa-06” and “Alfa-09” units’ disinfection efficiency on metal surfaces contaminated with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. 

Metal surfaces were positioned at 2-meters’ distance from the “Alfa-06” unit and at 1.5-meters’ distance from the “Alfa-09”. For the research, the reference SARS-CoV-2 virus culture (isolate dated March 16, 2020 with biological potency 5.8∙106 PFU∙ml-1) was used. The efficiency of all disinfection modes of the units, intended for surfaces decontamination, was tested.

 The research results:

1.      The “Alfa-06” unit at 2-meters' distance disinfects the surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 within 2 minutes with 99.98 % efficiency in the “Bacteria” mode; within 3 minutes with 100 % efficiency in the “Spores” mode; and within 6.5 minutes with 100 % efficiency in the “Tuberculosis and fungi” mode;

 2.      The “Alfa-09” unit at 1.5-meters' distance disinfects the surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 within 3 minutes and 39 seconds with 99.99 % efficiency in the “Bacteria” mode; within 6 minutes and 45 seconds with 100 % efficiency in the “Spores” mode; and within 14 minutes and 3 seconds with 100 % efficiency in the “Tuberculosis and fungi” mode.

The obtained results allow for recommending the pulsed ultraviolet units’ use for surfaces disinfection as part of epidemiological response to combat the coronavirus infection spread.

•  Efficiency against SARS-CoV-2

Virus-killing robots able to target coronavirus and other nasties are being deployed in numerous South African hospitals, hospital group Netcare said on Tuesday.

The company said it was taking delivery of 13 infection-prevention robots within the next few weeks to bolster its fleet of 28 spread across 22 sites.
The Yanex Pulse robot kills bacteria, viruses and fungal spores with a beam of ultra-violet light.
Image: Yanex
The robots, which have been deployed since late 2017 primarily to combat “superbug” infections, use pulsed ultraviolet light to rid wards and theatres of bacteria, viruses and fungal spores.

“Now, with the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in SA — which unfortunately won’t be the first, nor likely the last, infectious illness to reach our shores — we are pleased to have opted to invest in innovations such as these germ-eradicating robots,” said Netcare CEO Richard Friedland.

“We have also noted a growing public interest in the technology.”

The robots had produced impressive infection prevention and control results internationally and during pilot trials at Netcare hospitals in 2017, Friedland said.

Caroline Maslo, senior clinical adviser at Netcare, said the Russian-designed Yanex robot had repeatedly proved itself to be effective in killing antibiotic-resistant bacteria and viruses such as the coronavirus.

“This new technology does not replace the infection risk-management protocols and procedures we already have in place but is used alongside them as an additional line of defence in our arsenal against potentially harmful germs,” Maslo said.

The robots can destroy about 99.9% of germs on high-touch surfaces and 99.99% of airborne germs.

Maslo said the robots emit UV-C spectrum light which destroys the DNA of bacteria, viruses and fungi to neutralise them and prevent them from replicating.

“Many of those who are admitted to hospital are particularly vulnerable to infection. The aim of our infection prevention and control programmes and the use of technology such as this is to help protect those in our care, as well as visitors, staff members and medical practitioners from any potentially harmful germs, including the coronavirus,” she said.

“Persons admitted to a Netcare facility can therefore be assured that the hospital’s wards, theatres and other facilities are being disinfected as thoroughly as possible.”

•  Netcare CEO Richard Friedland says the private hospital group is buying more germ-killing Russian robots