Fig. 3: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in golden hamsters via aerosols and fomites.

a, Infectious viral load (log₁₀(TCID₅₀ per ml), shown as bars) and viral RNA copy numbers (log₁₀(RNA copies per ml), shown as dots) detected in the nasal washes of donor hamsters (n = 3) inoculated with 8 × 10⁴ TCID₅₀ of SARS-CoV-2. Colour-matched bars and dots represent results from the same hamster. b, Infectious virus and viral RNA detected in the faecal samples of donor hamsters (n = 3). ND, not determined. c, Changes in body weight of donor hamsters (n = 3); individual data points and mean ± s.d. are shown. d, Aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to naive hamsters (n = 3) exposed to donors for 8 h at 1 dpi; infectious virus and viral RNA detected in the nasal washes of aerosol-contact hamsters are shown. e, Infectious virus and viral RNA detected in the faecal samples of aerosol-contact hamsters (n = 3). f, Changes in body weight (per cent weight change compared to the day of exposure) of aerosol-contact hamsters (n = 3). g, Fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to naive hamsters (n = 3) that were single-housed in the soiled cage of a donor for 48 h; infectious virus and viral RNA detected in the nasal washes of fomite-contact hamsters are shown. h, Infectious virus and viral RNA detected in the faecal samples of fomite-contact hamsters (n = 3). i, Changes in body weight (per cent weight change compared to the day of exposure) of fomite-contact hamsters (n = 3). Aerosol transmission and fomite transmission experiments were each performed once, with three repeats.