Coronavirus Sanitation and Disinfection Around the World, in Photos

One of the most effective ways to fight the spread of the new coronavirus is to disinfect highly touched surfaces. Across the world, disinfection teams have descended upon kindergartens, state capital buildings, markets, mosques, airports, and public roads.

Teams of hazmat-suited workers are spraying low-concentration bleach-and-water mixtures from trucks, guns, drones, and robots.

Public-health experts think mass disinfection efforts will have mixed effectiveness in outbreak zones. Disinfecting surfaces that are commonly touched, such as in hospitals, schools, and religious sites, can help kill germs. However, misting sanitizer in the air or on the street is likely ineffective, because the virus isn't airborne and people don't touch the street that often.

The coronavirus has spread to more than 90 countries since it emerged in Wuhan, China, late last year. In total, at least 100,000 people have been infected, and more than 3,400 have died. (See Business Insider's latest updates here.)

Photos from China, South Korea, Iran, Iraq, Russia, Nigeria, and more show how the world is trying to sanitize.

The city of Wuhan, where the outbreak began, has been quarantined since January 23. Transportation — buses, subways, ferries, trains, airplanes, and private cars — has been halted.

Source: Business Insider.

The wide range depends on factors like the type of surface a droplet lands on, the temperature or humidity of the surrounding environment, and what kind of droplet a virus is traveling in (saliva or phlegm, say).

When people who have COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, cough and sneeze, the viral particles can land on those within 3 to 5 feet and infect them.

"Honestly, think about how often do your hands or your mouth come into contact with a street?" she said.

Source: China Dialogue.

A 61-year-old churchgoer in Daegu tested positive and caused a "super-spreader" event: Over two weekends at tightly packed prayer services, she came in contact with over 1,000 people.

The South Korean government has canceled and postponed public gatherings.

Source: Reuters

The Italian government has called for the cancelation of any event that would be too crowded for people to stay at least 3 feet away from others. Schools and universities have been closed for more than a week.

The Government of Nigeria has established a "coronavirus preparedness group," led by its Center for Disease Control. The World Health Organization also said that it already has experts on the ground in Nigeria, which it calls a "high priority" country.

About 8% of Iran's parliament — 23 out of 290 members — is affected by the coronavirus. The country preemptively released 54,000 prisoners to avoid the disease's spread in its crowded prisons.

Sanitation teams are also disinfecting religious sites in Iran, but those have not been closed or locked down.

Source: Reuters.

The majority of these patients are Iraqis who recently visited Iran.

Vietnam had 16 confirmed cases, but all the patients have recovered. The country closed its borders with China and closed public schools, according to reports from local media.

Source: Reuters.

The country has suspended travel between Georgia and Iran for two weeks. Travel to China is also banned.

The World Health Organization increased the global risk of the new coronavirus to "very high" on Monday. The organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said at a briefing Tuesday that containment of the virus is still possible.

Hilary Brueck contributed reporting.

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