The acknowledgement comes after a group of scientists urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease is spread
A logo is pictured on the headquarters of the World Health Orgnaization, in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 25, 2020.The World Health Organization on Tuesday acknowledged “evidence emerging” of the airborne spread of the novel coronavirus, after a group of scientists urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease passes between people.
The WHO has previously said the virus that causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease spreads primarily through small droplets expelled from the nose and mouth of an infected person that quickly sink to the ground.But in an open letter to the Geneva-based agency, published on Monday in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal, 239 scientists in 32 countries outlined evidence that they say shows floating virus particles can infect people who breathe them in.
Speaking at Tuesday’s briefing in Geneva, Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO’s technical lead for infection prevention and control, said there was evidence emerging of airborne transmission of the coronavirus, but that it was not definitive. Van Kerkhove said the WHO would publish a scientific brief summarizing the state of knowledge on modes of transmission of the virus in the coming days.“A comprehensive package of interventions is required to be able to stop transmission,” she said.
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