Covid-19 virus can survive up to 28 days in smooth surfaces: CSIRO

Agency: Researchers say that Covid-19 remains infectious on bank notes, phone screens and stainless steel for 28 days. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), an Australian national science agency, reports that the virus can survive much longer than it was previously believed.

The experiment was conducted in the dark, BBC reports. UV light has already been show to kill the virus.

There is also evidence that the virus can be spread by particles which hang in the air.

Previous laboratory tests had found that the SARS-Cov-2 can survive for 2-3 days on bank notes, glass and plastic and stainless steel.

But now, the research from Australian agency CSIRO found that the virus survives for 28 days on smooth surface like mobile screen, plastic and paper notes when kept at 20 degrees Celsius.

The study published in Virology Journal states that the virus survives less time in hotter temperature. The virus does not cause infection within 24 hours at 40 degree Celsius, reports the BBC.