How long coronavirus can survive in different environments?

Understanding the longevity of the coronavirus is crucial to know how contagious it could be. As per a new study, the virus can survive up to three days on some surfaces.

As coronavirus cases surge worldwide at alarming rate, scientists are in a race against time to find the cure for the deadly virus. However, one of the questions that is baffling everybody, including the scientists is 'how long this new virus can survive in different environments?' It is important to understand the longevity of the virus to understand how contagious it could be.

Scientists have finally found the answer now. A new study has come out with new information on the longevity of the virus in the air and on different surfaces. The study findings appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine on Tuesday. The scientists are affiliated to different laboratories in universities in the United States.

It revealed that people may acquire the novel coronavirus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. As per the study, the virus can survive up to three days in different environments

Longevity of the virus in the air: 3 hours

Until now, it was believed that the new coronavirus may not be able to survive in the air. But the new study found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus could survive in air for about three hours, although its ability to infect is weak. Still the fact that it can survive in the air indicates that there is also risk of people getting infected through the air.

Strongest on plastic and steel: up to 3 days

The scientists discovered that the virus is detectable for up to four hours on copper and up to 24 hours on cardboard. As per the study, plastic and stainless steel surfaces are the most conducive for the virus to survive. The new coronavirus can survive for as long as three days on these surfaces.

James Lloyd-Smith is a co-author of the study and a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. He said that that virus is quite transmissible through relatively casual contact. This makes this pathogen very hard to contain.

Also, majority of cases show no symptoms for five days or longer after exposure. This is the main reason why it is extremely difficult to detect the infection in its early stages.

Lloyd-Smith advises to wash your hands before touching items that someone else has recently handled as it could be contaminated.

Worldwide, the number of coronavirus deaths has topped 14,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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