As more and more people are taking the necessary precautionary measures to stop themselves from being infected with the Wuhan novel coronavirus that has now been reported far beyond China’s borders and now, even in our own, many people have wondered the extent to which the virus is capable of spreading. After all, the cases of those being infected by the novel coronavirus only seem to ever be increasing, but why?
Source: Foreign Policy
Well, as you may imagine, research substantiated by a number of sources such as Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, and Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, a member of the WHO’s emergency committee on the Wuhan outbreak, have both said that not only can the virus be transmitted if you happen to inhale infected particles, but also touch surfaces that contain infected particles, or have them coughed into your eyes.
Source: Freepik
It should be no surprise at all to know that just recently, in a report by Sin Chew Daily, traces of the Wuhan novel coronavirus have also been found on doorknobs that have been used previously by infected patients, raising the likelihood of contamination and infection even higher than previously imagined.
Source: VQQ
Just yesterday (2nd January 2020), the novel coronavirus that has infected Wuhan has been found on a metal door handle that was used previously by a patient that was diagnosed with the disease. While this isn’t shocking in itself, it acts as a precautionary reminder that all surfaces that you come in contact with may contain pathogens that could lead to infectious diseases.
“Many of us at this point are concerned about how long the virus itself can survive in the external environment after leaving the human body,” says Zhang Zhoubin, deputy director of Guangzhou’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
He reminds all those who are living in areas where the Wuhan novel coronavirus has spread to to ensure that they make a habit of properly cleaning all the surfaces they come into contact with, and ensuring that everything their hands come into contact often, such as keyboards, smartphones, and doorknobs, to be properly sterilised to prevent infection.
So just to be sure, always bring a small bottle of hand sanitiser with you and ensure all your surfaces are clean! It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Also read: Medical Experts Claim Wuhan Virus May Be Transmitted Through Your Eyes Or By Touch Alone
