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VERIFY: No, mosquitoes will not give you coronavirus

As the weather heats up, the VERIFY team has seen numerous questions about whether mosquitoes could transfer the coronavirus. Our experts say false.

WASHINGTON — Question: 

Can you get the latest strain of the coronavirus from mosquitoes? 

Answer:

No. Our experts said that this has no basis in science. The World Health Organization posted about this subject in their Myth Busters page on their website.

Source:

The World Health Organization, Myth Busters Web Page

Dr. Larry William Chang, Associate Director at the Johns Hopkins Global Health Initiative; Associate Professor of Medicine

Process:

When the warm weather returns, so will the mosquitoes. This has many people worried about whether they can transmit the coronavirus. 

"What if a mosquito can carry the coronavirus and pass it along to someone," wrote one person on Twitter.

To find out the truth, the Verify Team reached out to Dr. Larry William Chang, an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University. He said that this blame of the mosquito is nothing new. 

“The mosquito has been implicated in a lot of things," he said. "Way back when it was implicated in the HIV transmission. And it looks like (the blame) is back again."

This all is a myth though, according to Chang, who said there does not appear to be any evidence that mosquitoes can transmit the virus. 

“Mosquitoes are the least we need to worry about," he said. "In terms of transmitting coronavirus. They do not transmit coronavirus.”

The World Health Organization agreed, publishing the information on their Myth-Busters page

Credit: World Health Organization
WHO released this graphic on their myth busters web page

"The new coronavirus cannot be transmitted through mosquito bites," the WHO wrote in the post. 

The WHO said that the best best way to protect yourself is to clean your hands, disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and avoid people who are showing symptoms. 

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