Following consultation with public health agencies and experts, the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes a global technical consultation report introducing updated terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air. The pathogens covered include those that cause respiratory infections, e.g. COVID-19, influenza, measles, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and tuberculosis, among others.

The publication, entitled “Global technical consultation report on proposed terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air”, is the result of an extensive, multi-year, collaborative effort and reflects shared agreement on terminology between WHO, experts and four major public health agencies: Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This agreement underlines the collective commitment of public health agencies to move forward together on this matter.