A new scientific study by Italy’s national health institute ISS shows that mosquitoes are unable to transmit coronavirus to humans, the institute said Thursday.

The World Health Organisation had already said there was no evidence that the virus could be transmitted by the blood-sucking insects, which spread dengue and other diseases when they bite humans.

But the latest study, performed in collaboration with IZSVe, a research organisation for animal health and food safety, revealed that neither the tiger mosquito or common mosquito could transmit SARS-CoV-2.

“The research showed that the virus, once given to the mosquito through a meal of infected blood, was not able to replicate,” ISS said in a statement, ruled out the transmission of COVID-19 through mosquito bites.

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