The Truth About How Long The Coronavirus Survives On Surfaces
The coronavirus is rampaging through the world right now. The infected toll is over 1 million. The death toll is over 80,000 and the recovered is over 300,000. Doctors and scientists are trying to find a cure but it will still take some time. Till then we have to keep ourselves safe and the only way we can do that is by knowing all we can about the virus.
We know how to keep ourselves safe but we should also know how long it can survive on different materials that are around us.
1The coronavirus
The coronavirus is an infectious disease that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It was first identified in late December 2019 in Wuhan, which is the capital of China’s Hubei province and since has spread all across the globe infecting over 1 million people and killing over 80,000 with only above 300,000 recovering from it.
Image Source: entermediadb.net/
2The symptoms
The most common symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, sore throat, loss of smell and abdominal pain. In more severe cases, viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure are witnessed. In three months of its initial outbreak, it has reached over 200 countries and territories.
Image Source: www.cdc.gov
3How it spreads
The virus is mainly spread during close contact and by small droplets produced when those infected coughs, sneeze or talk. The virus cannot spread through the air over large distances. However, they can fall to the ground or on surfaces and stay there for extended periods of time and can easily get carried by anyone touching those surfaces.
Image Source: bbci.co.uk
4New studies are being done every day
As scientists race to find a cure new discoveries are being made every day – the most important ones being how long this virus can survive on different surfaces. This virus needs to come in contact with a person to infect them and this can be either through the nose, mouth, eyes but also via the hands.
Image Source: www.who.int
5How long does it survive in the air?
The coronavirus could remain in the air for up to 3 hours. This is why the WHO and governments ask people to wear masks when they go outside. The particles from an infected person could be suspended in the air for three hours which cannot be seen or felt. It can easily make contact with your skin and travel inside your body.
Image Source: cnbcfm.com
