Doctor warns the coronavirus can live on cardboard packages for up to 24 hours

Doctors and researchers have been hard at work learning about the latest viral threat known as the coronavirus and have revealed that the virus can live on various surfaces for various amounts of time. 

In an interview with the Today show, Dr John Torres explained that people who are receiving deliveries from any company should be careful how they handle those packages. 

‘Anywhere from copper around four hours to stainless steel and plastic two-three days. Cardboard is right down the middle 24 hours is how long it could live on there and still be what we call viable, meaning it could still pass on coronavirus,’ Torres said.  

Dr John Torres has revealed that the coronavirus can live up to 24 hours on cardboard packages. An Amazon delivery driver is seen handling packages in California on Monday 

Torres explained that people who are still receiving packages (Amazon delivery person in New York City) should throw away the outside package immediately and then wash your hands

Torres explained that people who are still receiving packages (Amazon delivery person in New York City) should throw away the outside package immediately and then wash your hands

Torres explained that people who are still receiving packages should throw away the outside package immediately and then wash your hands. 

‘With the inside package you can do two things: You can let it sit there for 24 hours. It should go away at that point. 

‘If you need it now you can disinfect it on the outside which should help to some extent, but the main thing is once you handle that wash your hands before you touch your face,’ Torres said.  

Torres also spoke about what people should do when they are ordering takeout from restaurants. 

‘If you’re getting fruits and vegetables, you definitely want to wash them off like you do with anything else just to make sure that any of those food borne illnesses aren’t present. 

Torres noted that some takeout items come in cardboard containers and explained what people should do if they encounter those. 

Dr John Torres (pictured) said: 'With the inside package you can do two things: You can let it sit there for 24 hours. If you need it now you can disinfect it on the outside which should help to some extent.' Torres said the key is to make sure you wash your hands

Dr John Torres (pictured) said: ‘With the inside package you can do two things: You can let it sit there for 24 hours. If you need it now you can disinfect it on the outside which should help to some extent.’ Torres said the key is to make sure you wash your hands 

‘One of the things you want to do is open up the container, use some utensils to pull out the food and put it on a plate and then throw the container out and wash your hands.’

Torres said for those who are high-risk should order warm food because it’s more than likely to kill the virus. He instructed people to microwave the food for 30 seconds which should kill the virus. 

According to a study shared by the National Institutes of Health, the virus is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces. 

The study’s researchers found that the virus was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.

The results provide key information about the stability of virus and suggests that people may acquire the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. 

Traces of new coronavirus were found on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had more than 700 confirmed cases of the deadly flu-like illness, researchers say. The vessel is seen docked in Yokohama Port near Tokyo in February

Traces of new coronavirus were found on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had more than 700 confirmed cases of the deadly flu-like illness, researchers say. The vessel is seen docked in Yokohama Port near Tokyo in February

The passengers whose rooms were found to have new traces of the coronavirus had showed symptoms or were asymptomatic. Health officials are pictured suiting up in protective gear to treat passengers from the Diamond Princess on March 1

The passengers whose rooms were found to have new traces of the coronavirus had showed symptoms or were asymptomatic. Health officials are pictured suiting up in protective gear to treat passengers from the Diamond Princess on March 1 

Researchers also made a startling discovery this week that a form of the coronavirus can linger around for more than two weeks.

Traces of new coronavirus were found on the Diamond Princess cruise ship on surfaces in cabins where people who were infected with the virus had stayed, for up to 17 days after they had left, according to a study released Monday.

How long can corornavirus survive on various surfaces?

Aerosols: up to 3 hours

Copper: up to 4 hours

Cardboard: up to 24 hours

Plastic: up to 2-3 days

Stainless Steel: up to 2-3 days

Source: NIH.gov 

The passengers had showed symptoms or were asymptomatic, researchers of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study say.

The latest study from the CDC looked at rooms that were not yet cleaned. Cleaning, researchers have confirmed, is a highly effective way of killing the virus.

The CDC also said that the spread of infection aboard the Diamond Princess happened before the ship went into quarantine. Infections among crew members rose after.

On the vessel’s sister ship, the Grand Princess, members of the crew are believed to have contracted the virus and then passed it on to passengers, according to the study. 

Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has infected about 438,000 people and killed more than 19,600.

In the US, there are more than 55,000 confirmed cases with 802 deaths. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk