Study: Coronavirus can remain in the air for up to three hours

 A trader hawks face masks along Uhuru Highway, Nairobi.

The coronavirus can survive in the air and on surfaces for several hours - suggesting people can contract the deadly virus through the air and by touching contaminated surfaces.

Scientists found that COVID-19, known in medical circles as SARS-CoV-2, was present in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and between two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.

While the virus remained in the air for up to three hours, it became less infectious overtime.

It was more robust on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard, with the virus being detected up to 72 hours after it was applied to the surfaces.

The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, were made by the National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists.

Coronavirus and divorce

In other news, a leading divorce lawyer has said coronavirus is "very likely" to lead to an increase in marriage break-ups because of people being confined together for long periods in self-isolation.

Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia revealed the view of the profession as a growing number of households go into voluntary lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of infection.

Official health advice states that if one person in a property has a persistent cough or fever, everyone living there should stay at home for 14 days.

Nicknamed the "Steel Magnolia" for her skills and charm, Lady Shackleton told peers "The prediction amongst divorce lawyers is that following self-imposed confinement it is very likely that the divorce rate will rise.

"Our peak times are after long exposure during the summer holidays and over Christmas.

"One only has to imagine what it's going to be like when families are sealed in a property for a long period of time."