Journal
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 755, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143352
Keywords
Antarctica; Coronavirus; COVID-19; Mitigation measures; Reverse zoonoses; Transmission
Categories
Funding
- Spanish Research Agency project [CTM2015-64720]
- Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA PREEMPT Cooperative Agreement) [D18AC00031]
- National Science Foundation (USA) Polar program [1947040, PLR 1543459]
- Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET)
- Universidad Nacional de La Plata UNLP [859]
- CNRS
- French Polar Institute Project ECOPATH [IPEV 1151]
- ZATA
- OSU OREME
- [INACH T-23-19]
- Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
- Directorate For Geosciences [1947040] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly worldwide, with Antarctica being the only continent free of the virus. Concerns have been raised about the potential introduction of the virus to Antarctica through research or tourism activities, which could impact wildlife.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This pathogen has spread rapidly across the world, causing high numbers of deaths and significant social and economic impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus with a suggested zoonotic origin with the potential for cross-species transmission among animals. Antarctica can be considered the only continent free of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, concerns have been expressed regarding the potential human introduction of this virus to the continent through the activities of research or tourism to minimise the effects on human health, and the potential for virus transmission to Antarctic wildlife. We assess the reverse-zoonotic transmission risk to Antarctic wildlife by considering the available information on host susceptibility, dynamics of the infection in humans, and contact interactions between humans and Antarctic wildlife. The environmental conditions in Antarctica seem to be favourable for the virus stability. Indoor spaces such as those at research stations, research vessels or tourist cruise ships could allow for more transmission among humans and depending on their movements between different locations the virus could be spread across the continent. Among Antarctic wildlife previous in silico analyses suggested that cetaceans are at greater risk of infection whereas seals and birds appear to be at a low infection risk. However, caution needed until further research is carried out and consequently, the precautionary principle should be applied. Field researchers handling animals are identified as the human group posing the highest risk of transmission to animals while tourists and other personnel pose a significant risk only when in close proximity (< 5 m) to Antarctic fauna. We highlight measures to reduce the risk as well as identify of knowledge gaps related to this issue. (c) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
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