世衛組織目前的指南指出，新冠病毒主要通過呼吸道飛沫和密切接觸在人與人之間傳播。近日全球兩百多名科學家發布公開信，表示，新冠病毒也可以在空氣中傳播，并呼吁世衛組織重視這一傳播路徑。世衛組織發言人表示，已了解到這篇文章，專家們正在就公開信的內容進行審議。

A group of 239 scientists from 32 different countries have published an open letter to the World Health Organization and other health agencies, calling for them to update their information on the coronavirus.

來自32個國家的239名科學家向世界衛生組織和其他衛生機構發表了一封公開信，呼吁他們更新關于新冠病毒的信息。

In an article entitled “It is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19,” the group of scientists argue that the WHO needs to give more weight to the role of the airborne spread of Covid-19. The New York Times first reported the news on Saturday.

在一篇題為《是時候解決新冠病毒空氣傳播問題了》的文章中，這組科學家認為，世衛組織需要更加重視新冠病毒空氣傳播的作用。《紐約時報》率先在上周六（7月4日）報道了這一消息。

airborne [?e?b??n] adj.：空氣傳播的；風媒的

“There is significant potential for inhalation exposure to viruses in microscopic respiratory droplets (microdroplets) at short to medium distances (up to several meters, or room scale), and we are advocating for the use of preventive measures to mitigate this route of airborne transmission,” the scientists wrote in the paper.

科學家們在文章中寫道：“人們極有可能在間隔短距離或中距離時（最多幾米，或室內范圍）吸入微小呼吸道飛沫中的病毒。我們提倡采取預防措施減緩這種空氣傳播路徑。”

It appears to contradict previous evidence that the virus is transmitted from person to person via droplets from the nose or mouth. These are expelled when a person with the infection coughs, sneezes or speaks.

這似乎與之前的證據相矛盾，即病毒通過口鼻噴出的飛沫在人與人之間傳播。感染者咳嗽、打噴嚏或說話時，會噴出這些飛沫。

The WHO’s current guidance states that the coronavirus is transmitted primarily between people via these respiratory droplets and contact. The United Nations health agency has said this is why it is important to stay at least one meter away from others and wash your hands regularly, or clean with an alcohol-based hand rub.

世衛組織目前的指南指出，新冠病毒主要通過這些呼吸道飛沫和接觸在人與人之間傳播。世衛組織表示，這就是為什么人與人之間要保持至少一米的距離、經常洗手，或者用含酒精的洗手液洗手很重要。

However, the group of scientists outlined evidence that indicates smaller particles — which can travel much greater distances — can also infect people.

然而，這組科學家提出的證據表明，傳播距離更遠的小顆粒飛沫也可以造成感染。

A spokesperson for WHO told CNBC on Monday it was aware of the open letter and technical experts at the organization were currently reviewing its contents. 

本周一（7月6日），世衛組織的一位發言人告訴美國消費者新聞與商業頻道，他們已經知曉了這封公開信，世衛組織的技術專家目前正在審查其內容。

The WHO has previously said it continually assesses “ongoing research on the ways that Covid-19 is spread and will continue to share updated findings.”

世衛組織此前曾表示，將繼續評估“正在進行的關于新冠病毒傳播方式的研究，并將繼續分享最新發現”。

The authors of the letter argue the virus is borne through the air and can infect people when inhaled, whether carried aloft by large droplets after a sneeze or much smaller droplets that could glide the length of the room.

這封公開信的作者認為，病毒是通過空氣傳播的，人們吸入后會造成感染，無論病毒是被打噴嚏后的大飛沫傳播到空氣中，還是被小得多的、可以在室內到處漂移的飛沫攜帶。

They claim that their emerging evidence indicates airborne transmission could be more important than the WHO has acknowledged to date.

他們聲稱，新出現的證據表明，空氣傳播可能比世衛組織目前所認為的更為重要。

Airborne transmission is different from droplet transmission, the WHO states in a scientific brief on its website. It notes that airborne transmission refers to the presence of extremely small particles that can remain in the air for long periods of time and be transmitted to others over distances greater than one meter.

世衛組織在其網站上的一份科學簡報中指出，空氣傳播不同于飛沫傳播。世衛組織指出，空氣傳播指的是空氣中存在能夠懸浮很久的極其微小的顆粒，并傳播給一米以外的其他人。

To date, nearly 11.5 million people across the globe have contracted Covid-19, with 534,460 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

根據約翰斯·霍普金斯大學統計的數據，迄今為止，全球已有近1150萬人感染了新冠肺炎，其中53萬4460人死亡。

The US has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 infections and fatalities, by far, with almost 2.9 million cases and 129,947 deaths reported.

截至目前，美國的新冠肺炎確診病例數和死亡人數都是全球最高的，確診病例達290萬例，死亡人數達12萬9947人。

英文來源：CNBC

翻譯&編輯：yaning