Coronavirus India: Study finds Coronavirus could survive up to 9 DAYS outside body at room temperature
Amid fear over Coronavirus, researchers say Coronavirus, named COVID-19 could survive on inanimate surfaces for up to nine days at room temperature. Coronavirus is mainly spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Contact with fecal matter from an infected person may also transmit the virus.
According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it may be possible for a person to become infected by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes.
The analysis also found that coronaviruses or COVID-19 can be rendered inactive using common disinfectants - but it is not yet clear whether the new coronavirus behaves in a similar way.
'On copper and steel it's pretty typical, it's pretty much about two hours,' CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield told US lawmakers on Thursday, referring to how long the new coronavirus may be active on those types of materials. 'But I will say on other surfaces - cardboard or plastic - it's longer, and so we are looking at this.'
How long can coronavirus survive outside the body (on surfaces)?
Coronavirus India: Study finds Coronavirus could survive up to 9 DAYS outside body at room temperature
Coronavirus could survive on inanimate surfaces for up to nine days at room temperature, researchers have found.
Researchers say Cold, low-humidity environments are ideal for the disease, according to an analysis of 22 earlier studies by the Journal of Hospital Infection. Past strains included Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Transmission can occur when a person touches a contaminated object or surface and then brings their hands to their mouth, nose or eyes, though one scientist suggested this type of transmission is rare.
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Contamination from packages coming from overseas is even less likely, the New York Post reports.
'The important big take-home message is that this is probably a small proportion of the transmission of respiratory viruses,' said Dr. Timothy Brewer, professor of epidemiology and medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“Out in the community, these viruses are probably not surviving for a long time on surfaces.”
There have been more than 87,000 global cases of the novel coronavirus globally - with more than 2,900 deaths recorded, the vast majority of which in mainland China.
The virus has spread to 54 more countries apart from China, alarming public health authorities across the world.
The worst-hit countries - China, South Korea, Iran, Japan, Italy - are intensifying their efforts to contain the deadly bug.
More than 41,000 people affected in China have already recovered, according to The Guardian.
Today, 12 more cases of infections have been confirmed in the UK, taking the total to 35.
Coronavirus in India:
India reported its first positive case of novel coronavirus on Monday, one in Delhi and the second one in Hyderabad. Both infected patients have been kept under observation. A Noida school has been closed following coronavirus fears. According to a Delhi resident who contracted coronavirus in Italy attended a birthday party last week in which his children, as well as their schoolmates, were present.
Officials said as many as 17,662 passengers were screened at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Delhi till March 2.
A total of 380 suspected cases were referred to the designated hospitals. Samples were taken from 111 of them and barring one all tested negative for COVID-19.
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