Experiments conducted by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) show the coronavirus can be ‘quickly’ destroyed by sunlight.
Yahoo News obtained a briefing that suggests the virus cannot survive in high temperatures and humidity on surfaces or in a droplet of saliva – giving the public hope that the end could be just around the corner as summer weather approaches for parts of the world.
The DHS found that simulated sunlight ‘rapidly killed the virus in aerosols,’ while without that treatment, ‘no significant loss of virus was detected in 60 minutes.’
However, the unpublished documents also state that the results have yet to be proven nor does this not mean the world will see a drop in new cases if they are.
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Experiments conducted by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) show the coronavirus can be ‘quickly’ destroyed by sunlight. Yahoo News obtained a briefing that suggests the virus cannot survive in high temperatures and humidity
A DHS spokesperson told DailyMail.com in an email: ‘The department is dedicated to the fight against COVID-19, and the health and safety of the American people is its top priority. As policy, the department does not comment on allegedly leaked documents.
‘It would be irresponsible to speculate, draw conclusions, or to inadvertently try to influence the public based upon a document that has not yet been peer-reviewed or subjected to the rigorous scientific validation approach.’
The idea that sunlight could be the archenemies of the coronavirus has been floating around the web for quite some time.
A post on Facebook with the heading ‘GOODBYE CORONA VIRUS’ details a daily regimen to cure the disease – and exposure to sunlight is on the list.
The DHS found that simulated sunlight ‘rapidly killed the virus in aerosols,’ while without that treatment, ‘no significant loss of virus was detected in 60 minutes
The results suggests the coronavirus is most stable in lower humidity than compared to higher temperatures. However, the unpublished documents also state that the results have yet to be proven nor does this not mean the world will see a drop in new cases if they are
Many may partake in the routine with hope it actually works, but the US Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) has stated there is now specific treatment or regimen for COVID-19 that is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The results shown in documents are from the DHS science and technology directorate and includes experiments conducted by the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center that was started to address biological threats following the 9/11 terrorist attacks to address biological threats.
Many infectious disease seem to arrive in the colder months and disappear once summer rolls in including the flu and measles, which has led experts to learn if the same applies to the current coronavirus sweeping the globe.
Because COVID-19 is still new to the world, experts have noted that there is not enough data to show how the virus changes with seasons.
However, a separate study looked at the cases in 100 Chinese cities last month and found transmission rates fell as the weather grew warmer or more humid.
a separate study looked at the cases in 100 Chinese cities last month and found transmission rates fell as the weather grew warmer or more humid. Each blue dot signifies the average number of transmissions per infected person at a given humidity level, meaning that on days when humidity was 100%, the transmission rate hovered mostly below two per infected person
As temperatures rose in 100 Chinese cities, the average number of people who those infected with coronavirus passed it to fell from 2.5 to less than 1.5, Chinese researchers found
Public experts and the study conducted in China suggests the viruses will not thrive in warmer temperatures, heat and humidity – but these factors will not stop it in its tracks.
Since COVID-19 emerged in China in December, the virus has spread like wildfire to more than 350,000 people worldwide amid cold weather – there are currently more than 2 million cases and over 137,00 deaths reported around the globe.
In China, the outbreak reached its peak in February with more than 15,000 cases diagnosed in a single day.
Since COVID-19 emerged in China in December, the virus has spread like wildfire to more than 350,000 people worldwide amid cold weather – there are currently more than 2 million caes and over 137,00 deaths reported around the globe
Because COVID-19 is still new to the world, experts have noted that there is not enough data to show how the virus changes with seasons
But it’s officially spring there now, and with the departure of winter has come a precipitous fall of cases in China.
Scientists from MIT have also found that the coronavirus appears to loose spread slower in warmer countries.
The team found that several countries ‘such as Australia, UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Bahrain, Qatar and Taiwan have performed extensive testing per capita and the number of positive 2019-nCoV cases per capita are lower in these countries compared to several European countries and the US,’ reads the analysis published on March 19.
Qasim Bukhari, a computational scientist at MIT and a co-author of the analysis told Yahoo News that since publishing their work, the number of cases spreading in certain countries support their findings.
‘There are more than 5,000 cases in Pakistan right now,’ he said.
‘But the increase is not as rapid as you see in other countries.’
MIT found several countries ‘such as Australia, UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Bahrain, Qatar and Taiwan have performed extensive testing per capita and the number of positive 2019-nCoV cases per capita are lower in these countries compared to several European countries and the US
Dr. Anthony Fauci (pictured), who is an immunologist and recently started working with the White House response, said in a press briefing that the summer months might slow the virus down
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is an immunologist and recently started working with the White House response, said in a press briefing that the summer months might slow the virus down.
‘It’s almost certainly going to go down a bit’, he said but did not confirm that warm weather will have a major impact on the outbreak.
Although there are conflicting ideas about how sunlight impacts the coronavirus, Juan Leon, a virologist who focuses on environmental health at Emory University, told NPR that results using UVC to inactive such a disease as coronavirus could be more promising.
‘UVC for longer durations, over 15 minutes, was found to be more effective at inactivating SARS,’ she says.
WHO says lifting virus lockdowns too quickly could spark ‘deadly resurgence’
A hasty lifting of restrictions imposed to control the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a fatal resurgence of the new coronavirus, the World Health Organization warned Friday.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was working with countries on ways in which lockdowns could be gradually eased, but said doing so too quickly could be dangerous.
‘I know that some countries are already planning the transition out of stay-at-home restrictions. WHO wants to see restrictions lifted as much as anyone,’ he told a virtual press conference in Geneva.
‘At the same time, lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence. The way down can be as dangerous as the way up if not managed properly.
‘WHO is working with affected countries on strategies for gradually and safely easing restrictions.’
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, pictured during a news conference, has warned that lifting coronavirus restrictions too quickly could result in a resurgence
The global death toll has now passed 100,000, and more than 1.6 million infections have been recorded globally since the virus first emerged in China in December.
Tedros welcomed signs that the spread of the virus was slowing in some of the hardest-hit countries in Europe – namely Spain, Italy, Germany and France.
But he also warned of an ‘alarming acceleration’ of the virus in some countries, highlighting Africa, where he said the virus was beginning to spread to rural areas.
‘We are now seeing clusters of cases and community spread in more than 16 countries’ on the continent, he said.
‘We anticipate severe hardship for already overstretched health systems, particularly in rural areas, which normally lack the resources of those in cities.’
Tedros also sent his best wishes to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been moved out of intensive care as he battles the coronavirus.
