[Rumor X Truth] Can the COVID-19 Virus Also Be Transmitted by 'Mokki'?

[Asia Economy Reporter Shinwon Yoon] As the weather has recently warmed up, mosquitoes are becoming increasingly active, raising concerns among many about whether the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) can be transmitted through mosquitoes.

In conclusion, COVID-19 infection through mosquitoes does not occur. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is currently no information or evidence suggesting that COVID-19 can be transmitted by mosquitoes. This is because COVID-19 is a 'respiratory virus' that spreads through droplets from coughing or sneezing of infected individuals and saliva secreted from the nose.

Even if the COVID-19 virus enters a mosquito's body, the virus cannot survive inside the mosquito, making the possibility of transmission between people via mosquitoes extremely low.

Furthermore, the likelihood of mosquitoes transmitting the virus during the biting process is minimal. Mosquitoes insert a mouthpiece into human skin to suck blood, and during this process, mosquito saliva is injected to slow down blood clotting and facilitate blood intake. Since only the mosquito's 'saliva' is injected during biting, even if the blood of a previously bitten person contained the virus, it cannot be transmitted.

Additionally, mosquitoes generally require about two days to digest the blood after biting one person. This means they attack the next person at least two days later. Therefore, even if the COVID-19 virus enters the mosquito's body, it loses its activity by the time the mosquito attacks another person. SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which caused 775 deaths and is often compared to COVID-19, also had no cases of transmission through mosquitoes.