COVID-19 traces remain indoors for up to 28 days, scientists claim

Traces of COVID-19 infection can remain on everyday objects used by the infected for up to 28 days, infectious disease specialists from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Their research was published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

In the spring of 2020, specialists examined hotel rooms in which 39 patients with COVID-19 were in quarantine. It turned out that the infection persisted indoors for up to 28 days. For four weeks in a row, the virus was found on the washbasin in the bathroom. It was kept in the sewer for three weeks, and on the toilet seat for two weeks. On average, traces of the COVID-19 remained on different surfaces for five days.

The presence or absence of traces of coronavirus on the surfaces in the rooms was checked using swabs, which were then subjected to PCR testing. Most often, traces of the virus were found on cups (in 100% of cases), sinks (12.82%), toilet seats (7.89%), phones (5.56%), and bedside tables (5.56%). 

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