Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during air travel: a descriptive and modelling study

Figures & data

Figure 1. Screening flow and diagram of aircraft. (A) Screening flow; (B) Diagram of the Boeing 787-9 aircraft. I: Schematic diagram of seating plan with 11 confirmed cases; II: Air circulation pattern in passenger cabin, arrows show air currents from the Lancet²².

Figure 2. The inference process of the SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in aircraft. (A) The classification of 161 confirmed case; (B) The estimated rate of quanta generation in aircraft.

Table 1. The top ten flights with confirmed and suspected infection cases.

Flight	Model of Aircraft	Duration of Flight	Number of passangers	Number of confirmed cases	Suspected infection case	AR
1	787-9	10 hr 18 min	247	11	0	0
2	747-8	8 hr 35 min	312	8	0	0
3	380–800	6 hr 53 min	369	5	0	0
4	777–300	5 hr 17 min	219	5	0	0
5	787-9	6 hr 51 min	294	4	0	0
6	787-9	10 hr 12 min	240	4	1	4.2‰
7	777–300	6 hr 32 min	256	4	0	0
8	330–300	10 hr 4 min	275	4	0	0
9	380–800	6 hr 44 min	352	4	0	0
10	777–300	8 hr 48 min	278	3	1	3.6‰

Figure 3. The predicated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in aircraft. (A) The per-person risk of infection due to one infector. (B) The per-person risk of infection, assuming without face mask protection. (C) The predicted number of infected individuals due to one infector. (D) The predicted number of infected individuals, assuming without face mask protection.

Table 2. Characteristics of 161 patients with COVID-19 infection.

	Case (n = 161)
Sex, n (%)
Female	99 (61.5)
Male	62 (38.5)
Age, years
Mean (SD)	28.6 (12.8)
Range	1–70
Occupation, n (%)
Crew	4 (2.5)
Student	53 (32.9)
Employee	29 (18.0)
Other	75 (46.6)
Cluster case, n (%)	57 (35.4)
Family	40 (24.8)
Other	17 (10.6)
Contact history, n (%)	77 (47.8)
Contact with confirmed case	65 (40.4)
Contact with suspected case	12 (7.5)
Asymptomatic, n (%)	40 (24.8)
Signs and Symptoms, n (%)	121 (75.2)
Fever	53 (32.9)
Cough	56 (34.8)
Fatigue	23 (14.3)
Time interval, Mean (SD)
From arrival to symptom onset	2.4 (3.1)
From arrival to confirmed	2.7 (3.1)

Data availability statement

https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14332694.v1 [29]