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How to Solve Contain Virus Problem

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Hard#749
LeetCode Problem

Contain Virus

A virus is spreading rapidly, and your task is to quarantine the infected area by installing walls. The world is modeled as an m x n binary grid isInfected, where isInfected[i][j] == 0 represents uninfected cells, and isInfected[i][j] == 1 represents cells contaminated with the virus. A wall (and only one wall) can be installed between any two 4-directionally adjacent cells, on the shared boundary. Every night, the virus spreads to all neighboring cells in all four directions unless blocked by a wall. Resources are limited. Each day, you can install walls around only one region (i.e., the affected area (continuous block of infected cells) that threatens the most uninfected cells the following night). There will never be a tie. Return the number of walls used to quarantine all the infected regions. If the world will become fully infected, return the number of walls used.

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Problem Breakdown

Understanding the Contain Virus Problem

Let's break down this LeetCode problem and understand what makes it challenging in interview settings.

Problem Statement

A virus is spreading rapidly, and your task is to quarantine the infected area by installing walls. The world is modeled as an m x n binary grid isInfected, where isInfected[i][j] == 0 represents uninfected cells, and isInfected[i][j] == 1 represents cells contaminated with the virus. A wall (and only one wall) can be installed between any two 4-directionally adjacent cells, on the shared boundary. Every night, the virus spreads to all neighboring cells in all four directions unless blocked by a wall. Resources are limited. Each day, you can install walls around only one region (i.e., the affected area (continuous block of infected cells) that threatens the most uninfected cells the following night). There will never be a tie. Return the number of walls used to quarantine all the infected regions. If the world will become fully infected, return the number of walls used.

HardProblem #749
LeetCode

Contain Virus

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Examples

# Example 1

Input
isInfected = [[0,1,0,0,0,0,0,1],[0,1,0,0,0,0,0,1],[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1],[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]]
Output
10

# Example 2

Input
isInfected = [[1,1,1],[1,0,1],[1,1,1]]
Output
4

# Example 3

Input
isInfected = [[1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0],[1,0,1,0,1,1,1,1,1],[1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0]]
Output
13

Constraints

m == isInfected.length
n == isInfected[i].length
1 <= m, n <= 50
isInfected[i][j] is either 0 or 1.
There is always a contiguous viral region throughout the described process that will infect strictly more uncontaminated squares in the next round.

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Solve Contain Virus — A virus is spreading rapidly, and your task is to quarantine the infected area b...

Here's the optimal approach using Array:

def solve(input):
# Optimal O(n) solution
return result

Time: O(n)  |  Space: O(n)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about solving Contain Virus and using PhantomCodeAI during coding interviews.

How does PhantomCodeAI help with LeetCode problems during a coding interview?
PhantomCodeAI reads the problem from a screenshot or listens to it via audio, then generates a complete solution with a step-by-step approach and time/space complexity, so you can focus on explaining your reasoning rather than getting stuck on implementation.
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Yes — it works alongside LeetCode, HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and HackerEarth, plus any browser-based coding environment.
Can PhantomCodeAI handle follow-up questions and modifications?
Yes. Capture the modified problem by screenshot or audio and get an updated solution within seconds, including new edge cases and optimizations.
Is PhantomCodeAI detectable during live interviews?
PhantomCodeAI runs as a native desktop overlay that does not appear in screen shares, recordings, or proctoring software, and works with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and major coding platforms.
Should I still practice these problems on my own first?
Yes. The most durable preparation is solving problems unaided first, then using AI afterward to review your approach, complexity, and missed edge cases — use it to debrief and learn, not to skip the reps.

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