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How much Covid in the world?

Counting all the virus particles in every human on the planet.

If we brought all the virus particles of the Sars-CoV-2 virus from every human currently infected, how much would there be? This was a question posed by one of our listeners. We lined up two experts to try to work this out. YouTube maths nerd Matt Parker and Kit Yates, senior lecturer in mathematical biology at the University of Bath, UK give us their best estimates. One believes the particles would fit into a small can of coke, the other a spoonful.

(Coronavirus cells. Credit RomoloTavani /Getty Creative)

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9 minutes

Last on

Mon 15 Feb 202110:50GMT
BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

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Broadcasts

  • Sat 13 Feb 202102:50GMT
    BBC World Service News Internet, Europe and the Middle East & East Asia only
  • Sat 13 Feb 202116:50GMT
    BBC World Service News Internet
  • Sun 14 Feb 202102:50GMT
    BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview, East and Southern Africa, Online & West and Central Africa only
  • Sun 14 Feb 202115:50GMT
    BBC World Service except News Internet
  • Sun 14 Feb 202122:50GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 15 Feb 202110:50GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

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