A study in Wuhan, China, detected genetic material of the new coronavirus in airborne suspensions, or aerosols, in hospitals and public spaces.
The finding reinforces the importance of thorough sterilization of infection hotspots, good ventilation, and avoidance of crowding.
To date, scientists have established three ways in which severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) — the virus that causes coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) — can be transmitted: According to a recent study in China, aerosols may offer a fourth transmission route for the virus. Aerosols are airborne particles that measure around 1 micrometer (one-thousandth of a millimeter) in diameter at most.