Hubei native's company tests disinfectant to kill coronavirus

A human coronavirus disinfectant, newly developed by a US-based company, could help China fight COVID-19 after it effectively killed the novel coronavirus in lab tests, the company said.

The product was developed by HBM Group Inc in Queens Village, New York, founded in 1998 by Gordon X. Hu, a Chinese American originally from Central China's Hubei province.

"Since the coronavirus outbreak, there has been a pain in my heart for my

hometown. I have always wanted to find a way to help people there, and now I can," Hu said in a press release. "Now, we have successfully developed a disinfectant safe for humans, and we hope to ship them to my hometown as fast as possible. We know that this can help everyone there and help control the outbreak."

The product, Medispo® Virus and Bacteria Disinfectant, was tested by ALG and documented on Feb 20. ALG has FDA- and EPA-focused laboratories across the United States.

A test report by ALG shows that the disinfectant is safe for humans and animals and can kill 99.99 percent of the coronavirus in a minute and more than 99.998 percent in five minutes.

However, its effectiveness on the virus in China still needs to be tested. The product also must be approved by authorities in China before it can reach the Chinese market.

The company has specialized in medical disposables for more than 30 years and has seven factories in China for making products such as surgical gloves, syringes and needles, gauze and cotton products and dressings.

Among the seven facilities in China, one is based in Xiantao, Hubei province, and makes masks and gowns, among other products.