How two passengers infected 15 on a Perth-bound flight
Sitting two rows away raised risk sevenfold despite mask wearing and air purification, finds Australian study
Australian researchers have warned travellers are still at risk of a coronavirus infection while flying and in airports after tracing 15 cases back to two passengers.
Two passengers taking a 10-hour flight from the United Arab Emirates to Australia in July 2020 infected 15 other people
The transmission occurred despite masking requirements for passengers, functioning air purifiers, and use of masks, eye goggles, gloves and protective gowns by the flight crew, according to a report in the Journal of Travel Medicine.
Being seated within two rows of a primary case increased the risk of infection more than sevenfold, while spending more than an hour in the arrival airport increased the risk nearly fivefold, the study found.
