WHO says Covid 19 is spread by respiratory droplets, not through air


PTI, Apr 3, 2020, 4:41 PM IST

Beijing: The virus that causes the COVID-19 disease is primarily transmitted through “respiratory droplets and close contacts”, and does not seem to stay long in the air, a recent WHO publication said.

Respiratory infections can be transmitted through droplets of different sizes, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

Droplet transmission occurs when you have close contact (within one metre) with a person who has respiratory symptoms such as coughing or sneezing, which may spread these potentially infectious droplets, typically 5-10 microns in size, to your body.

Transmission may also occur by touching surfaces or objects in the immediate environment around the infected person, state-run China Daily quoted the WHO publication as saying.

Airborne transmission is different from droplet transmission, as it refers to the presence of microbes within droplet nuclei, which are generally considered to be the smaller particles of less than 5 microns in diameter, and which can remain in the air for long periods of time and be transmitted to others over distances greater than one metre, it said.

In the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed, such as intubation within a patient’s windpipe, disconnecting a patient from a ventilator, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

According to the publication, no cases of transmission by air were reported in an analysis of 75,465 patients with the coronavirus in China.

Based on the current evidence, the WHO continues to recommend droplet and contact precautions for those people caring for COVID-19 patients. And it’s recommended that people take measures to prevent possible transmission by air when performing medical operations that produce aerosols, it added.

A total of 1,002,159 COVID-19 cases have been reported across more than 175 countries and territories with 51,485 deaths reported so far, according to Johns Hopkins University data

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

After Yogi’s ‘batenge, katenge’ slogan, PM pitches for unity with ‘Ek hai, toh safe hai’ message

“Coming soon.. 2025”: KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty announce first pregnancy

Mangaluru: Unauthorized bus stops at signals fuel traffic woes and safety concerns

SC notice to Karnataka, DK Shivakumar on CBI plea against withdrawal of consent by state govt

Will remain active in politics till my last breath: JD(S) patriarch & ex-PM Deve Gowda

BJP calls Congress govt ‘laughing stock’ as ‘samosa politics’ heats up in Himachal

Related Articles More

Don’t trust caller ID info; can be spoofed easily: Cyber advisory to govt officials

Stay Safe Online: Tips to avoid cyber fraud!

Three Chinese astronauts enter space station after successful launch

What is AI superintelligence? Could it destroy humanity? And is it really almost here?

IIT-B develops method to maintain comfortable temperature inside homes in joint research

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

Use Carnatic music to promote Kannada language: Nirmala Sitharaman

Udupi: Car collides with bike; Rider injured

UP women’s body proposes men shouldn’t tailor women’s clothes or cut their hair

NSE, BSE to be closed on Nov 20 for Maharashtra assembly polls

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.