Q: Are higher #temperatures more likely to cause loss of infectivity in #SARSCoV2?

A: @hkumed researchers incubated the virus and observed how long it would take for it to lose infectivity at different temperatures.

#COVID19 #KnowTheFacts Q: Do different #surfaces affect the time it takes for #SARSCoV2 to lose infectivity?

A: Team from @hkumed tested how long it would take for the virus to lose infectivity on different surfaces.

#COVID19 #KnowTheFacts

An @HKUMed study examined the use of surgical masks to prevent #SARSCoV2 transmission in hamsters. It found that using a mask reduces not only the risk of infection, but also the severity of the disease.

(1/5) #COVID19 Method:

Healthy and infected hamsters were housed in separate cages placed next to each other.

A surgical mask partition was placed on either side to separate the cages, with air flowing from the infected side to the healthy side.

(2/5) #COVID19

An @hkumed study found that #SARSCoV2 can multiply rapidly in lab-grown bat intestinal cells, suggesting these cells could be used to study SARS-CoV-2 infection and bat viruses;

It also studied how the virus infect human intestinal cells and spread via the gut.

(1/5) #COVID19 Key takeaways:

🦇 Intestinal cells from both bats & humans were easily infected by #SARSCoV2
🦇 Enterocytes (intestinal cells involved in digestion) were the virus's main target

(2/5) #COVID19

The amount of #SARSCoV2 detected in #COVID19 patients was the highest in the first week when symptoms appeared, according to an @HKUMed study, which analysed saliva samples from 23 lab-confirmed patients to track their viral load as the disease progressed. (1/4) They also studied immune response through blood samples.

Antibodies were detected 10 days after symptom onset and the viral load gradually declined as more antibodies were produced; but the virus was still detectable in a third of #COVID19 patients studied after 3 weeks. (2/4)

A study from @hkumed in @AGA_Gastro found traces of #SARSCoV2 in stool samples from 9 of the 59 studied #COVID19 patients in #HongKong, suggesting that the virus may be able to spread via the ‘fecal-oral route’. (1/5) Key takeaways:

▶ #SARSCoV2 was found in stool samples even in patients who did not show any gut symptoms.
▶ #COVID19 patients who had diarrhoea had more viral RNA in their stool.

(2/5)

A team from @hkumed studied how #SarsCoV2 infects and multiplies in human lung tissues. The study compared the virus with SARS-CoV, the #coronavirus responsible for the 2003 SARS outbreak, on how they attacked human lung tissue. #COVID19 Key takeaways from the study:

► #SarsCoV2 and SARS-CoV infected the same types of cells in the lungs.
► #SarsCoV2 was more capable of infecting lung tissue than SARS-CoV. #COVID19

Q: Are higher temperatures more likely to cause loss of infectivity in #SARS_COV_2?

A: The team at @hkumed incubated the virus and observed how long it would take for it to lose infectivity at different temperatures. #COVID19 #KnowTheFacts Q: Do different surfaces have an effect on the amount of time it takes for #SARS_COV_2 to lose infectivity?

A: The team @hkumed tested how long it would take for the virus to lose infectivity on different surfaces. #COVID19 #KnowTheFacts

Q: Can we sanitise and reuse masks to expand its lifespan?

A: We cannot sanitise and reuse masks. If you want to extend its lifespan, cut a piece of gauze and line the inner part to prevent direct contact of the mask to your mouth and nose.

#knowthefacts #COVID19 Q: Would wearing multiple masks improve the effectiveness of the filtration?

A: The key to effective filtration is the fit of the mask. Wearing multiple masks will affect its fit and obstruct your breathing.

#knowthefacts #COVID19