KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — The World Health Organization (WHO) is reviewing a report from over 200 scientists who showed evidence that the novel coronavirus can be spread through the air.
Reuters reported that 239 scientists from 32 countries, in an open letter to the United Nations health agency, had urged WHO to update guidance on Covid-19, in light of new evidence that smaller coronavirus particles can linger in the air and infect people who breathe them in.
WHO said previously that the coronavirus mainly spreads through small droplets expelled from an infected person’s nose and mouth that immediately sink to the ground.
“We are aware of the article and are reviewing its contents with our technical experts,” WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic was quoted saying.
WHO reportedly said it was considering aerosols as a possible route of transmission for the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the Covid-19 disease, but is not yet convinced that the evidence necessitated a change in guidance. WHO currently advises people to maintain 1-metre safe distancing to avoid infection.
Reuters reported that it was unclear how often the coronavirus can spread through airborne or aerosol transmission, instead of by bigger respiratory droplets expelled through coughs or sneezes.
