Study: Viruses In Offices Spread Everywhere Within Hours

TUCSON, Ariz. (CBS Las Vegas) – According to a new study, viruses can spread through an office within hours.

Researchers wanted to see how norovirus might spread through a building. They used a harmless virus called bacteriophage MS-2, which they put on surfaces around an office building.

The researchers would sample between 60 and 100 different surfaces during the day. In less than 4 hours, 40 to 60 percent of the sampled surfaces were contaminated with the virus, according to the study.

“The first area contaminated was the coffee break room,” Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, told LiveScience.

Researchers then gave employees and the cleaning staff disinfecting wipes to use on the surfaces. Gerba said that the wipes reduced the spread of the virus by 80 to 99 percent.

“The results show that viral contamination of surfaces in facilities occurs quickly, and that a simple…