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New research finds diseases like COVID-19 can spread between apartments through ventilation systems

Denver7 · · 521 words · By Micah Smith
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What to know about New research finds diseases like COVID-19 can spread between apartments through ventilation systems

DENVER — Airborne diseases like COVID-19 can easily spread between apartments in multi-family housing buildings using a common bathroom ventilation system, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and several other…

Claims checked 9
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

DENVER — Airborne diseases like COVID-19 can easily spread between apartments in multi-family housing buildings using a common bathroom ventilation system, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and several other…

Why it matters

Shelly Miller, a University of Colorado Boulder professor emerita of mechanical engineering and the study's senior author, said the research was inspired by an incident in Spain.

Common ground

“I lived in Barcelona, Spain, for one year, 2021 to 2022, and many of the homes are multifamily housing units, you know, tall buildings, lots of apartments.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/new-research-finds-diseases-like-covid-1…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 5
check_circle Corroborated 2
verified Verified 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info
Claim 1: “In the U.S., most of our homes have exhaust fans in our bathrooms, but they don't have them in that building in Spain”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence confirms the study focused on a shared bathroom vent in Spain that may have spread COVID, but the specific comparison regarding the prevalence of fans in U.S. homes vs. that specific building is not explicitly corroborated by multiple independent sources in the snippets.
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web search NEUTRAL — Researchers say a shared bathroom vent, not hallways or elevators, may have spread COVID between apartments in Spain.
https://studyfinds.com/bathroom-vents-may-have-spread-covid/
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web search NEUTRAL — Scott Caron, master electrician for Ask This Old House, helps a homeowner put in an exhaust fan to rid her kitchen of smelly cooking odors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMB8Z0wS25g
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web search NEUTRAL — Exhaust fans are a must throughout your home. In the kitchen they vent steam and smoke from cooking, to avoid condensation – and setting off your fire alarm! In the laundry they can provide safety by …
https://www.martec.com.au/do-you-really-need-to-run-a-bathro…
verified
Claim 2: “Shelly Miller, a University of Colorado Boulder professor emerita of mechanical engineering and the study's senior author”
VERIFIED
Three independent web sources confirm Shelly Miller is a professor (emerita) of mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder and the senior author of the study.
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web search NEUTRAL — Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder.I am currently studying the aerosols released while playing wind instruments, singing and acting.
https://theconversation.com/profiles/shelly-miller-1037485
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web search NEUTRAL — Shelly Miller is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90538531/this-is-the-safest-indo…
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web search NEUTRAL — But our study shows that, depending on the ventilation system in place, that may not be the case,” said senior author Shelly Miller, professor emerita in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at th…
https://www.colorado.edu/today/2026/05/12/diseases-can-sprea…
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Claim 3: “we have seen transmission happen between rooms in a hotel because, for example, one room would have a sick person, and then if the airflow shifted because of pressure temperature differences, the aerosol could be transmitted”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources discuss the risk of aerosol transmission of COVID-19 in indoor environments, specifically mentioning hotel quarantine systems and the role of airflow/aerosols.
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web search NEUTRAL — Key points: Experts insist Australia must "take aerosol transmission seriously". They say cases of COVID-19 will continue to escape the hotel quarantine system if the advice does not change.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-04/covid-19-aerosol-spre…
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web search NEUTRAL — During the COVID-19 pandemic, airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via respiratory aerosols was a critical concern in indoor environments.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal…
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web search NEUTRAL — The COVID-19 pandemic caused the shutdown of entire nations all over the world.Indeed, there is reasonable evidence about the possibility of SARS-COV-2 airborne transmission due to its persistence int…
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32340347/
info
Claim 4: “the building had airflow moving between bathrooms and vented to the rooftop through natural convection”
SINGLE SOURCE
While EurekAlert! and other sources confirm the study measured airflow in a Spanish apartment building's shared bathroom duct, the specific detail about 'natural convection to the rooftop' is not explicitly detailed in the snippets provided, though the general premise of the study is confirmed.
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web search NEUTRAL — Then they measured airflow and air pressure in the building. In one experiment, the team remotely measured carbon dioxide (CO2) levels throughout the day in a vacant apartment. CO2 is emitted through …
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1128076
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web search NEUTRAL — air infographic. A Spanish apartment building’s shared bathroom duct may have spread COVID between floors, a new study suggests.
https://studyfinds.com/bathroom-vents-may-have-spread-covid/
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web search NEUTRAL — Creating airflow in your bathroom is essential for maintaining a comfortable and healthy environment.Perfect solution for apartments, small bathrooms, or rental properties that don’t have built-in ven…
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/how-to-create-airflow-in-bat…
help
Claim 5: “Miller said she worked with colleagues in Spain and Canada on the study.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm the specific collaborations between Shelly Miller and colleagues in Spain and Canada.
info
Claim 6: “Higuerra retrofitted his bathroom ventilation system with an exhaust fan”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results provide general tutorials on how to install exhaust fans but do not mention David Higuerra or his specific actions regarding his bathroom ventilation.
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web search NEUTRAL — Hi friends, in this video we are showing you how to install exhaust fan in Bathroom or Kitchen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWpZDMRVpzY
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web search NEUTRAL — New bathroom exhaust vent fan installation #electric #electrician #electricianlife #bathroom #vent #fan #exhaust Installing a New Bathroom Exhaust Vent Fan. Learn how to properly install a new bathroo…
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/how-to-install-exhaust-vent
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web search NEUTRAL — Bathroom Vent Fan Installation. How to Vent a Bathroom Exhaust Fan. Blog – Just Measuring Up | Garage ventilation, Exhaust fan, Wall exhaust fan.
https://www.pinterest.com/ideas/how-to-install-exhaust-fan-i…
info
Claim 7: “David Higuerra... experienced an outbreak in his apartment building, even though the building was on lockdown and residents had no contact with anyone outside their household.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results provided for this claim discuss general lockdowns and the pandemic but do not mention a person named David Higuerra or his specific experience in an apartment building.
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web search NEUTRAL — Tanzania never had any Covid-19 lockdowns. The country's former President, John Magufuli, who dismissed lockdowns and other public health interventions, died in 2021.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250304-the-countries-th…
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web search NEUTRAL — The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global outbreak of coronavirus – an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
https://www.who.int/europe/emergencies/situations/covid-19
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web search NEUTRAL — COVID-19. Click on a country or territory to see cases, deaths, and recoveries. Legend (active cases).
https://www.covidvisualizer.com/
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Claim 8: “Airborne diseases like COVID-19 can easily spread between apartments in multi-family housing buildings using a common bathroom ventilation system, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and several other institutions.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (University of Colorado Boulder and EurekAlert!) confirm a study showing that airborne diseases like COVID-19 can spread between apartments via shared bathroom ventilation systems.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Browse the royal collection and seize one of our crown jewels at the official merchandise shop for SIX the Musical!
https://store.playbill.co.uk/six
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The official Olivia Dean online store. Shop exclusive Olivia Dean Vinyl and Merch.
https://shop.oliviadeano.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Disney Store is home to official merchandise, from Disney clothes to unique homeware. Shopping to find gifts for Disney fans just got easier.
https://www.disneystore.co.uk/
info
Claim 9: “there had been an outbreak in Santander”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web results for this specific claim discuss general COVID variants and global outbreaks but do not specifically confirm an outbreak in Santander, Spain. However, the context of the study mentioned in other claims implies this setting.
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 13, 2026 · BA.3.2, aka "cicada," is a highly mutated new COVID variant detected in the U.S.. Here's where it's spreading and what to know about symptoms and vaccines.
https://www.today.com/health/coronavirus/new-covid-variant-b…
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web search NEUTRAL — Treatment Learn about the types of COVID-19 treatments, symptom management, and recovery.
https://www.cdc.gov/covid/index.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Aug 26, 2025 · COVID is once again climbing to troubling levels in California — a worrying trend as health officials attempt to navigate a vaccine landscape thrown into uncertainty by delays and decis…
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-26/covid-ri…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.