Can I get Covid-19 from a mosquito bite?

Dr Marlin McKay has dismissed the myth that Covid-19 can spread through mosquito bites, saying it is a respiratory virus that is airborne and spread between people through contact.

“It is primarily spread from person to person. It is a respiratory virus,” he told TimesLIVE. 

Prof Cheryl Cohen of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that Covid-19 is transmitted through mosquitos.

“What we know is that this virus is spread through droplets we release when we cough and talk. These droplets can travel for about one metre from your body to the ground. This is why we recommend that when someone is sick, they stay one to two metres away from everyone,” she said. 

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Dr Sylvie Briand, director of infectious hazard management, said: “Mosquitoes cannot transmit Covid-19. Some viruses, like Zika and yellow fever, can be transmitted through mosquitoes but Covid-19 cannot.” 

Briand said it is not uncommon for misinformation to spread when a new epidemic hits.

“It is very important during an epidemic to manage this infodemic and everybody can contribute to this. People need to look at trusted sources of information, like the WHO or other technical agencies, because we spend a lot of time verifying information.”