Higher humidity 'fights flu'

A US study found that flu virus particles, released by a simulated 'cough', were far less capable of infecting cells at 43% humidity than at 23%.

At the lower humidity around 77% of cells were re-infected, compared with just 14% at the higher humidity.

Researchers said maintaining humidity above 40% could greatly reduce how easily the virus spreads between people in public spaces.

• Read the paper here