Apr 13, 2021 09:44 PM EDT A virus's RNA - part of the genetic material within a virus - will survive for up to a month in soil, according to a study conducted in rooms where COVID-19 patients were isolated. (Photo : stevepb on Pixabay) The research did not look at whether the virus can be transmitted to humans by dust. However, it may include another method for tracking COVID-19 outbreaks in individual buildings, such as nursing homes, workplaces, or classrooms. Dust and Viral Microbes (Photo : Tommyvideo on Pixabay) Karen Dannemiller, the study's senior author, has studied dust and its relationship to possible dangers such as mold and microbes.