COVID-19 is the name of an infectious disease caused by a type of coronavirus discovered in late 2019 called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Coronaviruses are a large family of diseases that can cause illnesses in people and animals like camels, bats, and pigs.

Other examples of coronaviruses include:

Current evidence suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads primarily person-to-person contact through the transmission of respiratory fluids.

There’s no evidence that mosquitoes can transmit the virus that causes COVID-19 to humans.

Let’s take a look at why the most recent evidence suggests you can’t get COVID-19 from mosquitoes and also examine what viruses you can get from these insects.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there’s no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be carried or transmitted by mosquitoes.

In order for a mosquito to transmit a virus, that virus has to first infect the mosquito, pass through its gut, and enter its salivary glands.

In a June 2020 study, researchers injected a strand of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into isolated cells of the common Aedes mosquito. The researchers found that the virus was unable to replicate in the cells of this mosquito.

In the same study, the researchers collected 1,165 mosquitoes from around the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the first outbreak of COVID-19 was recorded. The researchers found that all the collected mosquitoes tested negative for the virus.

The first experimental study looking at the potential for mosquitoes to transmit the new coronavirus was published in July 2020. In the study, researchers injected three common types of mosquitoes with a sample of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Even under the most favorable conditions, the researchers were unable to get the virus to replicate inside the mosquitoes. They concluded that if the SARS-CoV-2 virus couldn’t replicate inside of mosquitoes in a controlled lab setting, mosquitoes would also be unable to transmit the virus even if they bit an infected person.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus that causes COVID-19 is most commonly transmitted between people who are in close proximity to each other. The virus may be transferred by:

  • Direct contact. When a person with the virus coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes, they produce tiny respiratory droplets containing the virus. If these droplets come into contact with your nose, lungs, or mouth, or eyes, you’re at risk for contracting the virus as well.
  • Indirect contact. These respiratory droplets can also settle on surfaces and objects. The virus can be transferred to you if you touch one of these surfaces or objects and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes. It’s thought that this method of transmission isn’t as common as direct contact.

The CDC recommends wearing a mask in public and physically distancing at least 6 feet from other people to limit the spread of the virus.

If you believe you may have COVID-19 or you’ve come into contact with somebody with the virus, you should self-isolate at home and away from other people for at least 14 days.

If you share a home with others, it’s a good idea to use a separate bathroom if possible and stay in a separate room. You should also avoid using public transport.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Call 911 if your symptoms get worse or if you have any emergency symptoms. Emergency symptoms include:

When on the phone, let the operator know that you’re seeking care for COVID-19 so that the first responders, nurses, and doctors that help you can take the proper precautions to avoid transmission.

Mosquitoes can’t transmit the new coronavirus, but they do carry many other diseases, such as:

As of now, there’s no evidence that mosquitoes can transmit the virus that causes COVID-19 to people. Experimental evidence has found that the virus isn’t able to replicate in mosquitoes.

Even though mosquitoes don’t carry the new coronavirus, they still carry many other diseases. You should take precautions to avoid getting bit, like wearing bug spray when in the wilderness.

The new coronavirus is transmitted primarily through person-to-person contact. When in public, you should physically distance at least 6 feet from people outside your household and wear a facial covering.

If you come into contact with a person who has COVID-19 or think you have COVID-19, you should self-isolate for 14 days.