COVID-19: Are houseflies potential carriers of coronavirus?

Bhubaneswar:  Houseflies have had the reputation of ‘food contaminators’ and ‘disease vectors’ since time immemorial.

History accounts that they were significant part of the biological warfare that the Japanese had embraced during the World War-II. They were also considered instrumental in the Polio epidemic in eastern United States and for the wild spread of tuberculosis in Canada in the 20th century.

But, can these insects serve as carriers of the novel coronavirus and infect humans?

The Wold Health Organization (WHO) has recently announced that the transmission of the COVID-19 infection to humans through houseflies is merely a myth.

Stressing that the virus causing the infection spreads primarily through droplets from the infected persons when they talk, cough or sneeze, the WHO clarified, “To date, there is no evidence or information to suggest that COVID-19 is transmitted through houseflies.”

The WHO added that one can get infected by touching contaminated surfaces and later touching eyes, nose or mouth with the same hands before washing them properly.

Further, the body advised that people should practice basic hygiene and clean their hands properly and often.With that, they must follow the necessary guidelines like maintaining social distancing etc, as earlier issued by it.