Novel coronavirus can survive on objects for hours — DOH
MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed that the novel coronavirus can survive on inanimate objects.
Asked by Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go at a Senate probe on Tuesday about reports that the virus may still be dangerous on the surface of inanimate objects such as cargo, or shipments coming from affected areas, Duque said the virus could indeed still be potent on objects "from [a] few hours to several hours and I think the latest information is up to ten hours."
In particular, Duque said the public should observe caution with objects like keyboards, telephones, handkerchiefs, pillowcases, among others.
The Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Employment have advised the use of hand sanitizers as well as keeping a clean workplace to help curb the spread of viruses.
The Health chief also said that the temperature in the country could be advantageous in eliminating traces of the virus, which reportedly preferred higher temperatures. However, he was not able to provide figures as to the threshold of this.
"There has also been information coming our way that the virus can be difficult to inactivate or to neutralize when the climate, when the temperature and humidity is also low. Yung tuyo at malamig, yan po ay mas mahirap i-neutralize ang novel coronavirus," he said.
"Unfortunately hindi po masabi kung ano po yung temperature. It's just generally stated in the literature. Dito naman sa Pilipinas, relatively speaking, we have a much warmer climate. Mas mainit po sa atin at maumido. Sa palagay ko, ito ay makakatulong (It is hotter here and more humid. I think that will help)."
'Everything is well in the country'
At the same Senate probe, World Health Organization representative to the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe said the WHO did not see the benefit in wearing masks amid the nCoV scare, saying they should instead be reserved for high-risk individuals.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea also bared the directives that he said were forwarded by President Rodrigo Duterte at the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases, which include:
- A temporary ban on any person besides Filipinos coming from Hubei and other places coming from Hubei Province and mainland China
- A temporary ban on anyone, even Filipinos, who has been to officially-confirmed affected areas within 14 days of coming to the Philippines
- The establishment of a repatriation facility, "somewhere in the North" that is "still being studied and considered at this point"
On Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte, who is not a public health expert, assured the nation that the worsening situation in the country was not a cause for concern.
WATCH: 'Everything is well': Duterte assures nation on novel coronavirus risk
"Everything is well in the country. There's nothing really to be extra scared of that coronavirus thing. Although it has affected a lot of countries, but you know, one or two in any country is not really that fearsome," he said.
Duque, too, in an earlier interview with DZMM, said that the Philippines was not a third world country with a weak healthcare system.
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