Graphic shows virus transmission routes and its persistence in air and on surfaces.
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HEALTH

New coronavirus stable for hours on surfaces

March 18, 2020 - Scientists studying the new coronavirus have found that it can survive for lengthy periods outside the human body, remaining viable in the air for several hours and persisting on surfaces for days.

Scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, attempted to mimic the virus deposited from an infected person onto everyday surfaces in a household or hospital setting, such as through coughing or touching objects, Reuters said.

They used a device to dispense an aerosol that duplicated the microscopic droplets created in a cough or a sneeze.

The scientists then investigated how long the virus remained infectious on these surfaces, according to the study that appeared online in the New England Journal of Medicine on Tuesday.

The tests show that the virus can live in the air for at least three hours, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 18/03/2020; STORY: Graphic News
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