The coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, has spread to 90 other countries.

Many cities are disinfecting public surfaces with bleach-and-water mixtures.

Experts aren't sure how long the contagious virus can live on surfaces, but say it could range from a few hours to a day or so.

Spraying disinfectant solutions into the air is probably not an effective way to kill the virus, but wiping down highly touched surfaces is.

Photos show mosques, schools, and streets being sprayed and wiped down around the world.

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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.