The coronavirus may not be killed by high temperatures, according to a new study.
Researchers at the University of Aix-Marseille in France were unable to nuke the virus by placing infected African green monkey kidney cells in a 140-degree Fahrenheit room, according to a study on the pre-print server bioRxiv that has not been peer-reviewed.
The researchers say they tested the impact of heat on the virus in both “clean” laboratory conditions and “dirty” environments, reports The New York Post.
Both settings saw the virus replicate even when exposed for an hour at the 140-degree temperature, researchers said.
To kill the virus, it took 15 minutes of exposure to 197.6-degree temperatures, the report said.
Researchers, however, noted that most patients have lower viral loads than were tested in the vials, suggesting that lower heat levels could potentially be effective after all to kill the virus.
And preliminary results from a government lab experiment support the theory that warmer weather could slow the spread of the virus, according to a report.
Department of Homeland Security briefing notes that were leaked to Yahoo News, suggested that the virus doesn’t survive long in sunlight, humidity and warmer temperatures.
“Sunlight destroys the virus quickly,” the document said, according to Yahoo News.
The report, however, cautioned that the findings don’t indicate that summer weather will eliminate, or even decrease, new cases of the virus.
The DHS declined to confirm the findings in the leaked documents, the outlet reported.
“As policy, the department does not comment on allegedly leaked documents,” the DHS said in a statement.
“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to speculate, draw conclusions, or to inadvertently try to influence the public based upon a document that has not yet been peer-reviewed or subjected to the rigorous scientific validation approach.”
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