[ad_1]
Until 28 days can survive SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in bank notes, in glass or stainless steel, advertised Australian scientists today, an element that underlines the need for cleaning and hand washing for combat of pandemic.
At 20 ° C, SARS-CoV-2 remains contagious for 28 days on smooth surfaces, such as laminated banknotes or glassware, according to researchers from CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization). used to make mobile phone screens. The results of their study are published in the Virology Journal.
By comparison, influenza A virus has been found to survive on such surfaces for 17 days.
CSIRO’s research included drying the virus, turning it into artificial mucus, placing it on surfaces at concentrations similar to that of COVID-19 patient samples, and removing it after about a month.
Experiments performed in controlled laboratory environments at 20, 30 and 40 ° C showed that the survival time of the virus on surfaces decreased as the temperature was rising.
“Checking how long the virus actually remains viable on surfaces allows us to anticipate and mitigate its spread and do a better job of protecting our citizens,” said Larry Marshall, CEO of CSIRO. in an organization press release.
Proteins and fats contained in body fluids can also greatly increase the survival time of the virus.
“This research may also help explain the obvious durability and the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in cold environments with high levels of lipids or proteins, such as meat processing plants, and how we can better deal with this risk, ”said Trevor Drew, director of the Center for Disease Management Preparedness at CSIRO.
Australia is performing significantly better than most other rich countries in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. To date, it has confirmed approximately 27,000 SARS-CoV-2 infections and recorded 898 deaths from COVID-19 out of a total population of 25 million.
The epicenter of the so-called second wave of the pandemic in Australia, the state of Victoria, registered today 15 new cases pollution, a number well above the 5 or less that authorities said was the level they want to reach before easing restrictive measures further in Melbourne, the state capital.
THE New south Wales, the most populous state in the country, today registered six new cases of infection, five of which are travelers who have returned and are in quarantine.
