but WHO reveals there is only a 'low risk' of catching the virus from newspapers and other delivered goods Scientists have been assessing how long coronavirus can survive on surfaces Found the virus is stable on the outer later of a surgical face mask for 7 days But the virus dies after 24 hours on cardboard and just three hours on paper Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor? SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world, can survive on surgical face masks for up to seven days, scientists claim. The novel coronavirus is being rapidly studied to understand how long it remains contagious on various surfaces and under certain conditions. A piece of research from Hong Kong found 'a significant level of infectious virus could still be detected on the outer layer of a surgical mask' after seven days. But researchers from the US report no viable SARS-CoV-2 was measured after 24 hours on cardboard, indicating using the postal service is relatively risk-free. Printing paper — including newspapers — kills the virus in three hours and experts have today announced the likelihood of infection from goods that have been transported is low. A study from researchers at Hong Kong found 'a significant level of infectious virus could still be detected on the outer layer of a surgical mask' after seven days Researchers from the US report no viable SARS-CoV-2 was measured after 24 hours on cardboard (pictured), indicating using the postal service is relatively risk-free Today it was revealed by the World Health Organization that people are unlikely to contaminate commercial goods, including those shipped through the post. A statement from WHO read: 'The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.' The global death toll for the coronavirus pandemic currently stands at almost 24,000, with more than half a million confirmed cases. A piece of research published online at medRxiv, a pre-print site where research is posted before it has been scrutinised before other academics in a process known as peer-review. But the initial findings from Alex Chin and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong found the virus was highly stable for an extended period at 4°C. At room temperature it can survive at high levels for seven days if untreated, but will be eradicated after 14 days. When incubated at 27°C — body temperature — it diminishes over 24 hours and is undetectable afterwards. For printing papern newspapers (pictured) and tissues, no infectious virus is seen on the surfaces after just three hours Scientists found that it takes two days for the novel coronavirus to vanish after infection on a cloth (pictured) 'No infectious virus could be detected after a 30-minute incubation at 56°C or a 5-minute incubation at 70°C,' the scientists continue. 'For printing and tissue papers, no infectious virus could be recovered from these surfaces after a 3-hour incubation.' Earlier today, virologist George Lomonossoff told BBC Radio Scotland that newspapers are low risk as they are 'pretty sterile' due to the printing and production process. In the latest research, the authors continue: 'No infectious virus from treated cloth and stainless steel could be recovered on Days 2 and 7, respectively. 'Strikingly, a significant level of infectious virus could still be detected on the outer layer of a surgical mask on Day 7, indicating SARS-CoV-2 is extremely stable on this surface.' The scientists discovered that when treated with any form of disinfectant, all surfaces were free of the virus within five minutes. Another recent paper, this time published in prestigious journal New England Journal of Medicine, compared the COVID-19-causing virus with SARS, which killed 774 people almost 20 years ago. These researchers write: 'SARS-CoV-2 was more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard, and viable virus was detected up to 72 hours after application to these surfaces. 'On copper, no viable SARS-CoV-2 was measured after 4 hours and on cardboard, no viable SARS-CoV-2 was measured after 24 hours.' Source
