The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said airborne transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) "cannot be ruled out." 

Coughing
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In its updated COVID-19 guidance released on Thursday, WHO included circumstances of airborne transmission of the coronavirus.

Airborne transmission is when a virus could be spread through inhalation of very small droplets called "aerosolized droplet nuclei or aerosols" that are able to stay suspended in the air for longer periods of time or even after a person has left the area.

WHO expanded its coronavirus guidance a few days after more than 200 scientists and researchers published an open letter and urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease spreads.

The group of scientists has accused WHO of underplaying the risk of airborne spread.

Early this week, WHO has already acknowledged "emerging evidence" of airborne transmission of the coronavirus. The agency said this commonly happened in crowded places and indoor settings with poor ventilation.

In a published report by NBC News, WHO said there have been reports of an outbreak of the virus in close or indoor settings like restaurants, nightclubs and even in places of worship.

These are places where people may be eating, talking, or singing. This simply means that aerosol transmissions are very possible in these places. It cannot be ruled out that an infected person, who went to these places could not transmit the virus through air.

Meanwhile, WHO explained that  even though airborne transmission of coronavirus cannot be ruled out, there's still a need for more research to "really" prove that the virus may spread as an airborne aerosol.

The agency said investigations on coronavirus airborne transmission is still on going.

Some experts maintained that airborne aerosol is very rare and they firmly believed that having close contact with an infected person is still the main source of transmission.

The health organization earlier said that while the aerosol transmission may play some role in the spread, the primary routes of transmission are through droplets expelled during coughing, sneezing, or speaking.

Meanwhile, the medical community believed that for a virus like COVID-19, which is categorized as a respiratory illness, there are two primary ways on how it can spread. This is through what is known as droplet transmission and second is airborne transmission. 

Droplet transmission occurs when bacteria or viruses travel on relatively large respiratory droplets that people cough, sneeze, drip, or exhale.

These droplets, loaded with infectious particles, can be spread if people are close enough (within one meter) to each other.

The droplets can also land on tables, toys, mats, or other surfaces, where they sometimes remain infectious for hours.

Hands that come in contact with these items and surfaces become contagious. When the infectious hand touches the eyes or nose, the infection is able to enter the new person.

Meanwhile, top infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said there is no solid evidence yet that would prove airborne transmission of the coronavirus. However, he also admitted that this cannot be ruled out.

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