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© Associated Press
Banknotes heated in a microwave oven for disinfection in South Korea, July 31, 2020
The SARS-CoV-2 coronary virus, which causes COVID-19, can survive up to 28 days, much longer than the flu. However, this is possible under certain conditions, Australian scientists announced today, cited by Reuters and BTA. The agency notes that this emphasizes the need to wash hands and maintain cleanliness in the fight against the virus.
Researchers from Australia’s National Science Agency claim that the coronavirus remains infected at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius on smooth surfaces such as banknotes and mobile phone screens and for 14 days on clothing. By comparison, the influenza A virus can survive up to 17 days.
The BBC notes that this is a significant change from the results of previous studies, according to which the virus lasted for several days on banknotes and glass and up to six, on plastic or stainless steel.
Experiments in the laboratory have shown that as temperature increases, the length of time for which the coronavirus survives decreases. The studies were conducted in the dark, after sunlight was found to quickly kill the new virus.
The study was published in the specialized journal “Virology” (“Virology”).
Australia is doing better than other developed countries in fighting the new coronavirus, Reuters notes. So far in the country with a population of 25 million people, about 27 thousand infected have been registered, of which 898 have died.
The authorities of the state of Victoria, which is the epicenter of the second wave of the epidemic in Australia, announced today 15 new cases of coronavirus. The number must drop below five to ease tough restrictions in the regional capital Melbourne. Authorities in Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, with its capital Sydney, announced six new cases today. Five of them were imported from abroad.
