COVID-19 is airborne and has mutated to be more infectious: Studies
Arirang News
2020-07-06
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Contrary to what the WHO has said, scientists around the world warn that the coronavirus can spread through airborne transmission as tiny droplets produced even just by talking... may linger in the air for hours.
Other scientists have found that the virus has mutated to become even more infectious.
Our Lee Kyung-eun reports.
COVID-19 could be harder to stop than previously thought.
The New York Times has reported that airborne transmission of the coronavirus is possible.
It says some 2-hundred-39 experts from 32 countries have sent an open letter to the World Health Organization,... saying that tiny particles smaller than droplets may linger in the air for hours, infecting people even in socially-distant settings.
That's contrary to the WHO, which has long insisted that the primary mode of transmission is large respiratory droplets that quickly fall to the ground,... and that airborne transmission only occurs in hospital during medical procedures.
Even until very recently, it has denied the possibility of airborne transmission, citing lack of evidence.
And South Korea, echoed the WHO's stance on Monday, following the news.
"We can discuss the matter once objective evidence comes out. So far, we believe that more studies and evidence should be found in order for the country to officially confirm the possibility of airborne transmission."
Other studies have found that the virus has mutated, making it more infectious than before.
In a study published in the journal Cell, the new "G variant" of the coronavirus is dominant globally, and is 6 times more infectious than the previous version.
That also had an impact on South Korea, with the country confirming that the GH variant under the G group has been the most common strain in the country since April.
"In recent months, the GH strain has been the major trend in COVID-19 cases in South Korea. We believe that's because a lot of entrants came to the country during March to April, and the virus they've imported is the major source of transmission."
An expert said, however, the key is how major the mutation is; and so far, no major mutation has occurred to make the vaccine development go back to square one.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.
Contrary to what the WHO has said, scientists around the world warn that the coronavirus can spread through airborne transmission as tiny droplets produced even just by talking... may linger in the air for hours.
Other scientists have found that the virus has mutated to become even more infectious.
Our Lee Kyung-eun reports.
COVID-19 could be harder to stop than previously thought.
The New York Times has reported that airborne transmission of the coronavirus is possible.
It says some 2-hundred-39 experts from 32 countries have sent an open letter to the World Health Organization,... saying that tiny particles smaller than droplets may linger in the air for hours, infecting people even in socially-distant settings.
That's contrary to the WHO, which has long insisted that the primary mode of transmission is large respiratory droplets that quickly fall to the ground,... and that airborne transmission only occurs in hospital during medical procedures.
Even until very recently, it has denied the possibility of airborne transmission, citing lack of evidence.
And South Korea, echoed the WHO's stance on Monday, following the news.
"We can discuss the matter once objective evidence comes out. So far, we believe that more studies and evidence should be found in order for the country to officially confirm the possibility of airborne transmission."
Other studies have found that the virus has mutated, making it more infectious than before.
In a study published in the journal Cell, the new "G variant" of the coronavirus is dominant globally, and is 6 times more infectious than the previous version.
That also had an impact on South Korea, with the country confirming that the GH variant under the G group has been the most common strain in the country since April.
"In recent months, the GH strain has been the major trend in COVID-19 cases in South Korea. We believe that's because a lot of entrants came to the country during March to April, and the virus they've imported is the major source of transmission."
An expert said, however, the key is how major the mutation is; and so far, no major mutation has occurred to make the vaccine development go back to square one.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.
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