The myth that the coronavirus can spread through mosquitoes has been debunked, according to the results of a new study.
The study — from researchers at the infectious disease lab at Kansas State University’s Biosecurity Research Institute — tested three of the most common types of mosquitoes for their potential to carry the novel coronavirus. In 277 insects inoculated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, researchers were unable to detect virus replication. This led to the conclusion that the mosquito population, while able to host the disease, could not contribute to its transmission, especially to humans, according to the study.
The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, the World Health Organization has maintained that mosquitoes cannot carry coronavirus.
While misinformation on COVID-19 has taken wild turns on the internet in recent weeks, one of the most prevalent and fear-inducing conspiracy theories about the virus is that it can be transmitted through mosquito bites. Mosquito-borne diseases, like West Nile Virus or Zika, are most often found in subtropical and tropical regions of the world, requiring an entirely different form of containment than the one established for the coronavirus.
The current expert consensus concluded that while coronavirus can spread in humid conditions, a human can’t get the virus from a mosquito bite. As a respiratory infection, coronavirus is mainly spread through droplets directly from an infected individual, making the best precautions against the disease increased testing, mask-wearing, social distancing, and frequent handwashing.
