The World Health Organization(WHO) on Tuesday acknowledged "evidence emerging" of the airborne spread of the coronavirus.

Speaking at a virtual press briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO's technical lead for infection prevention and control, said there was evidence surfacing that supported airborne transmission.

Allegranzi said the possibility in public settings, especially in very specific conditions of crowded, closed, poorly ventilated locations, cannot be ruled out.

The remarks came after 239 scientists in 32 countries sent an open letter to the WHO, urging the global body to update its guidance on how the virus passes between people.

Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead on the pandemic at the WHO, said the body would publish a scientific brief summarizing the state of knowledge on the modes of transmission of the virus in the coming days.