Hands down, men worse at bathroom hygiene that prevents coronavirus

FILE PHOTO: A visitor uses a hand sanitiser during the annual conference of the British Chambers of Commerce in London, Britain, March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The spread of the new coronavirus is shining the spotlight on a little-discussed gender split: men wash their hands after using the bathroom less than women, years of research and on-the-ground observations show.

Health officials around the world advise that deliberate, regular handwashing is one of the best weapons against the virus which causes a flu-like respiratory illness that can kill and has spread to around 80 countries.