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Latif MT, Purhanudin N, Afandi NZM, Cambaliza MOL, Halim NDA, Hawari NSSL, Hien TT, Hlaing OMT, Jansz WRLH, Khokhar MF, Lestari P, Lung SCC, Naja M, Oanh NTK, Othman M, Salam A, Salim PM, Song CK, Fujinawa T, Tanimoto H, Yu LE, Crawford JH. In-depth analysis of ambient air pollution changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Asian Monsoon region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 941:173145. [PMID: 38768732 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has given a chance for researchers and policymakers all over the world to study the impact of lockdowns on air quality in each country. This review aims to investigate the impact of the restriction of activities during the lockdowns in the Asian Monsoon region on the main criteria air pollutants. The various types of lockdowns implemented in each country were based on the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. The concentrations of major air pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), reduced significantly in all countries, especially in South Asia (India and Bangladesh), during periods of full lockdown. There were also indications of a significant reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). At the same time, there were indications of increasing trends in surface ozone (O3), presumably due to nonlinear chemistry associated with the reduction of oxides of nitrogens (NOX). The reduction in the concentration of air pollutants can also be seen in satellite images. The results of aerosol optical depth (AOD) values followed the PM concentrations in many cities. A significant reduction of NO2 was recorded by satellite images in almost all cities in the Asian Monsoon region. The major reductions in air pollutants were associated with reductions in mobility. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Taiwan had comparatively positive gross domestic product growth indices in comparison to other Asian Monsoon nations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A positive outcome suggests that the economy of these nations, particularly in terms of industrial activity, persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the lockdowns implemented during COVID-19 suggest that air quality in the Asian Monsoon region can be improved by the reduction of emissions, especially those due to mobility as an indicator of traffic in major cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Talib Latif
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Noorain Purhanudin
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nur Zulaikha Mohd Afandi
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; East Coast Environmental Research Institute (ESERI), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Maria Obiminda L Cambaliza
- Department of Physics, Ateneo de Manila University, Air Quality Dynamics Laboratory, Manila Observatory, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila 1101, Philippines
| | - Nor Diana Abdul Halim
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sarawak Branch, Samarahan 2, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | | | - To Thi Hien
- Faculty of Environment, University of Science, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet Nam
| | | | | | - Muhammad Fahim Khokhar
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Puji Lestari
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bandung Institute of Technology, Ganesha 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia
| | | | - Manish Naja
- Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Manora Peak, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263129, India
| | - Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh
- Environmental Engineering and Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
| | - Murnira Othman
- Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abdus Salam
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 100, Bangladesh
| | - Pauziyah Mohammad Salim
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; School of Geomatic Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment (CBE), Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chang-Keun Song
- Department of Urban & Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Tamaki Fujinawa
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Tanimoto
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Liya E Yu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore
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Zhang Y, Feng W. Impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the diversity of notifiable infectious diseases: a case study in Shanghai, China. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17124. [PMID: 38495754 PMCID: PMC10941765 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not only posed significant challenges to public health but has also impacted every aspect of society and the environment. In this study, we propose an index of notifiable disease outbreaks (NDOI) to assess the impact of COVID-19 on other notifiable diseases in Shanghai, China. Additionally, we identify the critical factors influencing these diseases using multivariate statistical analysis. We collected monthly data on 34 notifiable infectious diseases (NIDs) and corresponding environmental and socioeconomic factors (17 indicators) from January 2017 to December 2020. The results revealed that the total number of cases and NDOI of all notifiable diseases decreased by 47.1% and 52.6%, respectively, compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to improved air quality as well as impacted the social economy and human life. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that population mobility, particulate matter (PM2.5), atmospheric pressure, and temperature were the primary factors influencing the spread of notifiable diseases. The NDOI is beneficial in establishing an early warning system for infectious disease epidemics at different scales. Furthermore, our findings also provide insight into the response mechanisms of notifiable diseases influenced by social and environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Wenli Feng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
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Balasubramani K, Ravichandran V, Prasad KA, Ramkumar M, Shekhar S, James MM, Kodali NK, Behera SK, Gopalan N, Sharma RK, Sarma DK, Santosh M, Dash AP, Balabaskaran Nina P. Spatio-temporal epidemiology and associated indicators of COVID-19 (wave-I and II) in India. Sci Rep 2024; 14:220. [PMID: 38167962 PMCID: PMC10761923 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50363-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The spatio-temporal distribution of COVID-19 across India's states and union territories is not uniform, and the reasons for the heterogeneous spread are unclear. Identifying the space-time trends and underlying indicators influencing COVID-19 epidemiology at micro-administrative units (districts) will help guide public health strategies. The district-wise daily COVID-19 data of cases and deaths from February 2020 to August 2021 (COVID-19 waves-I and II) for the entire country were downloaded and curated from public databases. The COVID-19 data normalized with the projected population (2020) and used for space-time trend analysis shows the states/districts in southern India are the worst hit. Coastal districts and districts adjoining large urban regions of Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Goa, and New Delhi experienced > 50,001 cases per million population. Negative binomial regression analysis with 21 independent variables (identified through multicollinearity analysis, with VIF < 10) covering demography, socio-economic status, environment, and health was carried out for wave-I, wave-II, and total (wave-I and wave-II) cases and deaths. It shows wealth index, derived from household amenities datasets, has a high positive risk ratio (RR) with COVID-19 cases (RR: 3.577; 95% CI: 2.062-6.205) and deaths (RR: 2.477; 95% CI: 1.361-4.506) across the districts. Furthermore, socio-economic factors such as literacy rate, health services, other workers' rate, alcohol use in men, tobacco use in women, overweight/obese women, and rainfall have a positive RR and are significantly associated with COVID-19 cases/deaths at the district level. These positively associated variables are highly interconnected in COVID-19 hotspot districts. Among these, the wealth index, literacy rate, and health services, the key indices of socio-economic development within a state, are some of the significant indicators associated with COVID-19 epidemiology in India. The identification of district-level space-time trends and indicators associated with COVID-19 would help policymakers devise strategies and guidelines during public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karuppusamy Balasubramani
- Department of Geography, School of Earth Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, 610005, India
| | - Venkatesh Ravichandran
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, India
| | - Kumar Arun Prasad
- Department of Geography, School of Earth Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, 610005, India
| | - Mu Ramkumar
- Department of Geology, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Sulochana Shekhar
- Department of Geography, School of Earth Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, 610005, India
| | - Meenu Mariya James
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, 610005, India
| | - Naveen Kumar Kodali
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, 610005, India
| | - Sujit Kumar Behera
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, 610005, India
| | - Natarajan Gopalan
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, 610005, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar Sharma
- Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurugram, New-Delhi-NCR, 122505, India
| | - Devojit Kumar Sarma
- ICMR- National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal Bypass Road, Bhouri, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - M Santosh
- School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Aditya Prasad Dash
- Asian Institute of Public Health University, Phulnakhara, Cuttack, Odisha, 754001, India
| | - Praveen Balabaskaran Nina
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India.
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Hwang SH, Won JU, Park WM. Changes in total volatile organic compound concentration in Seoul subway stations before (2019) and after (2021) the COVID-19 outbreak. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20328. [PMID: 37990122 PMCID: PMC10663549 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46519-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major air pollutants often designated as specific hazardous or toxic. This study analyzed the trends in concentration changes and influencing factors of VOCs in underground subway stations in the Seoul Metro before (2019) and after (2021) the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 506 samples were collected from 253 stations on lines 1-8 between May 2019 and September 2021. Total VOC concentrations in Seoul Metro increased after the COVID-19 pandemic 3.8 times over. The deeper the underground station platform, the greater the difference in the VOC concentrations between 2019 and 2021, which was positively related. Average VOC concentration was the highest (52.8 µg/m3) at a depth of 25-30 m and the lowest (23.9 µg/m3) at a depth of < 10 m in 2019. In conclusion, excessive disinfection during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increased VOC concentrations in the Seoul Metro, especially in the deeper underground stations. Less frequent quarantine disinfection is recommended to improve air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Ho Hwang
- Institute of Health & Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jong-Uk Won
- Institute for Occupational Health, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
- Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Wha Me Park
- Institute for Occupational Health, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
- Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
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Xu S, Li H, Wang J, Lu L, Dai Z. Relationship between meteorological factors and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A cross-sectional study. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18565. [PMID: 37576230 PMCID: PMC10412992 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Recent studies on COVID-19 have demonstrated that poverty, comorbidities, race/ethnicity, population density, mobility, hygiene and use of masks are some of the important correlates of COVID-19 outcomes. In fact, weather conditions also play an important role in enhancing or eradicating health issues. Based on Chinese experience, the development of SARS and COVID-19 is partially associated with alterations in climate that align with the seasonal shifts of the "24 solar terms." However, the applicability of this pattern to other countries, particularly the United States, which has the highest global incidence and mortality rates, remains subject to ongoing investigation. We need to find more evidence to in the U.S. states verify the relationship between meteorological factors and COVID-19 outcomes to provide epidemiological and environmental support for the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and resource preservation. Objective To evaluate the relationship between meteorological factors and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality. Methods We conducted an ecological cross-sectional study to evaluate the relationship between meteorological factors (maximum temperature, minimum temperature, humidity, wind speed, precipitation, atmospheric pressure) and COVID-19 mortality. This retrospective observational study examines mortality rates among COVID-19 patients in the three US states, California, Texas, and New York, with the highest fatality numbers, between March 7, 2020 and March 7, 2021. The study draws upon data sourced from the publicly accessible Dryad database. The daily corresponding meteorological conditions were retrieved from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Meteorological website (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/maps/hourly/). This study employed multivariate linear regression analysis to assess the correlation between six meteorological factors and COVID-19 mortality. Gaussian distribution models were utilized to generate smooth curves for examining the linear association between maximum or minimum temperature and mortality. Additionally, breakpoint analysis was conducted to evaluate the threshold effect of temperature. Results We found that the death toll of patients with COVID-19 decreased with an increase in the highest and lowest ambient temperatures (p < 0.001). In our study, we observed a seasonal difference in mortality rates, with a higher number of deaths occurring during winter months, particularly in January and February. However, mortality rates decreased significantly in March. Notably, we found no statistically significant correlation between relative humidity, average precipitation, and average wind speed with COVID-19 mortality (all p > 0.05). Daily COVID-19 death was negatively correlated with the maximum temperature (β = -22, 95% CI, -26.2 to -17.79 -, p < 0.01), while the maximum temperature was below 30 °C. Similarly, the number of deaths was negatively correlated with the minimum temperature (β = -27.46, 95% CI, -31.48 to -23.45, p < 0.01), when the minimum temperature was below 8 °C. Our study found a significant association between temperature and COVID-19 mortality, with every 1 °C increase in maximum or minimum temperature resulting in a decrease of 22 and 27 deceased cases, respectively. The relationship between atmospheric pressure and COVID-19 mortality was not fully elucidated due to its complex interaction with maximum temperature. Conclusions This empirical study adds to the existing body of research on the impact of climate factors on COVID-19 prevention and resource allocation. Policymakers and health scientists may find these findings useful in conjunction with other social factors when making decisions related to COVID-19 prevention and resource allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Xu
- Office of Infection Management, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Haibo Li
- Division of Birth Cohort Study, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
| | - Juan Wang
- Musculoskeletal Pain Rehabilitation Department, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China
| | - Lin Lu
- Department of Trade Union, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Zhengxiang Dai
- Office of Infection Management, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
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Jawed A, Tharwani ZH, Siddiqui A, Masood W, Qamar K, Islam Z, Jawed A, Shah M, Adnan A, Essar MY, Rackimuthu S, Head MG. Better understanding extrapulmonary tuberculosis: A scoping review of public health impact in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1357. [PMID: 37359409 PMCID: PMC10287908 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims South Asian countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh, have a high prevalence of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). This prevalence is influenced by various risk factors such as ethnicity, nutrition, socioeconomic disparities, high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and specific Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (TB) lineages. The COVID-19 pandemic has likely hindered access to healthcare and led to under-reporting of EPTB cases nationally and internationally. This rapid review aimed to summarize the literature on the prevalence and disease outcomes of EPTB in the mentioned countries, compare the situations across countries, and provide recommendations for future action. Methods The review utilized PubMed and Google Scholar databases to search for literature on EPTB in South Asian countries. The search string included keywords related to different forms of EPTB and the countries of interest while excluding pulmonary tuberculosis. Results The results showed that both TB, including drug-resistant TB, and EPTB are prevalent and burdensome in South Asia. In Pakistan, pleural TB was the most commonly reported form of EPTB, followed by lymph node TB, abdominal TB, osteoarticular TB, Central Nervous System TB, and miliary TB. In India, lymph node TB(LNTB) was more common among EPTB cases. Bangladesh reported a high prevalence of EPTB involving lymph node, pleura, and abdomen, while Afghanistan had a higher prevalence of forms such as LNTB and tuberculous meningitis. Conclusion In conclusion, the prevalence of EPTB in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh is alarmingly high and negatively impacts population health. Effective measures are needed for treatment and management of this condition, along with addressing current and future challenges. Strengthening the evidence base through surveillance and research is crucial to understand the patterns and significant factors related to EPTB, requiring investment in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areesha Jawed
- Department of MedicineDow Medical CollegeKarachiPakistan
| | | | | | - Waniyah Masood
- Department of MedicineDow Medical CollegeKarachiPakistan
| | - Khulud Qamar
- Department of MedicineDow Medical CollegeKarachiPakistan
| | - Zarmina Islam
- Department of MedicineDow Medical CollegeKarachiPakistan
| | - Aleeza Jawed
- The Ziauddin Medical UniversityKarachiSindhPakistan
| | - Muzhgan Shah
- Bolan University of Medical and Health SciencesQuettaPakistan
| | | | | | | | - Michael G. Head
- Clinical Informatics Research Unit, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
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Urso P, Cattaneo A, Pulvirenti S, Vercelli F, Cavallo DM, Carrer P. Early-phase pandemic in Italy: Covid-19 spread determinant factors. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15358. [PMID: 37041936 PMCID: PMC10079324 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing, the environmental factors beyond virus transmission are only partially known. This statistical study has the aim to identify the key factors that have affected the virus spread during the early phase of pandemic in Italy, among a wide set of potential determinants concerning demographics, environmental pollution and climate. Because of its heterogeneity in pollution levels and climate conditions, Italy provides an ideal scenario for an ecological study. Moreover, the selected period excludes important confounding factors, as different virus variants, restriction policies or vaccines. The short-term relationship between the infection maximum increase and demographic, pollution and meteo-climatic parameters was investigated, including both winter-spring and summer 2020 data, also focusing separately on the two seasonal periods and on North vs Centre-South. Among main results, the importance of population size confirmed social distancing as a key management option. The pollution hazardous role undoubtedly emerged, as NO2 affected infection increase in all the studied scenarios, PM2.5 manifested its impact in North of Italy, while O3 always showed a protective action. Whereas higher temperatures were beneficial, especially in the cold season with also wind and relative humidity, solar irradiance was always relevant, revealing several significant interactions with other co-factors. Presented findings address the importance of the environment in Sars-CoV-2 spread and indicated that special carefulness should be taken in crowded areas, especially if they are highly polluted and weakly exposed to sun. The results suggest that containment of future epidemics similar to Covid-19 could be supported by reducing environmental pollution, achieving safer social habits and promoting preventive health care for better immune system response, as an only comprehensive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Urso
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital ‘L. Sacco’, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
- Department of Radiotherapy, Clinica Luganese Moncucco SA, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Como, Italy
| | - Salvatore Pulvirenti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital ‘L. Sacco’, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Franco Vercelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital ‘L. Sacco’, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Carrer
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Hospital ‘L. Sacco’, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
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8
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Jana A, Kundu S, Shaw S, Chakraborty S, Chattopadhyay A. Spatial shifting of COVID-19 clusters and disease association with environmental parameters in India: A time series analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 222:115288. [PMID: 36682443 PMCID: PMC9850905 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The viability and virulence of COVID-19 are complex in nature. Although the relationship between environmental parameters and COVID-19 is well studied across the globe, in India, such studies are limited. This research aims to explore long-term exposure to weather conditions and the role of air pollution on the infection spread and mortality due to COVID-19 in India. METHOD District-level COVID-19 data from April 26, 2020 to July 10, 2021 was used for the study. Environmental determinants such as land surface temperature, relative humidity (RH), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3), and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) were considered for analysis. The bivariate spatial association was used to explore the spatial relationship between Case Fatality Rate (CFR) and these environmental factors. Further, the Bayesian multivariate linear regression model was applied to observe the association between environmental factors and the CFR of COVID-19. RESULTS Spatial shifting of COVID-19 cases from Western to Southern and then Eastern parts of India were well observed. The infection rate was highly concentrated in most of the Western and Southern regions of India, while the CFR shows more concentration in Northern India along with Maharashtra. Four main spatial clusters of infection were recognized during the study period. The time-series analysis indicates significantly more CFR with higher AOD, O3, and NO2 in India. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 is highly associated with environmental parameters and air pollution in India. The study provides evidence to warrant consideration of environmental parameters in health models to mediate potential solutions. Cleaner air is a must to mitigate COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arup Jana
- Department of Population and Development, International Institute for Population Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai, 400088, India.
| | - Sampurna Kundu
- Center of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, 110067, India.
| | - Subhojit Shaw
- Department of Population and Development, International Institute for Population Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai, 400088, India.
| | - Sukanya Chakraborty
- IMPRS Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, University of Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Aparajita Chattopadhyay
- Department of Population and Development, International Institute for Population Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai, 400088, India.
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Monoson A, Schott E, Ard K, Kilburg-Basnyat B, Tighe RM, Pannu S, Gowdy KM. Air pollution and respiratory infections: the past, present, and future. Toxicol Sci 2023; 192:3-14. [PMID: 36622042 PMCID: PMC10025881 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Air pollution levels across the globe continue to rise despite government regulations. The increase in global air pollution levels drives detrimental human health effects, including 7 million premature deaths every year. Many of these deaths are attributable to increased incidence of respiratory infections. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented public health crisis that has claimed the lives of over 6.5 million people globally, respiratory infections as a driver of human mortality is a pressing concern. Therefore, it is more important than ever to understand the relationship between air pollution and respiratory infections so that public health measures can be implemented to ameliorate further morbidity and mortality. This article aims to review the current epidemiologic and basic science research on interactions between air pollution exposure and respiratory infections. The first section will present epidemiologic studies organized by pathogen, followed by a review of basic science research investigating the mechanisms of infection, and then conclude with a discussion of areas that require future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexys Monoson
- Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Evangeline Schott
- Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Kerry Ard
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Brita Kilburg-Basnyat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA
| | - Robert M Tighe
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Sonal Pannu
- Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Kymberly M Gowdy
- Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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Moazeni M, Rahimi M, Ebrahimi A. What are the Effects of Climate Variables on COVID-19 Pandemic? A Systematic Review and Current Update. Adv Biomed Res 2023; 12:33. [PMID: 37057247 PMCID: PMC10086649 DOI: 10.4103/abr.abr_145_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The climatological parameters can be different in various geographical locations. Moreover, they have possible impacts on COVID-19 incidence. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review article was to describe the effects of climatic variables on COVID-19 pandemic in different countries. Systematic literature search was performed in Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and PubMed databases using ("Climate" OR "Climate Change" OR "Global Warming" OR "Global Climate Change" OR "Meteorological Parameters" OR "Temperature" OR "Precipitation" OR "Relative Humidity" OR "Wind Speed" OR "Sunshine" OR "Climate Extremes" OR "Weather Extremes") AND ("COVID" OR "Coronavirus disease 2019" OR "COVID-19" OR "SARS-CoV-2" OR "Novel Coronavirus") keywords. From 5229 articles, 424 were screened and 149 were selected for further analysis. The relationship between meteorological parameters is variable in different geographical locations. The results indicate that among the climatic indicators, the temperature is the most significant factor that influences on COVID-19 pandemic in most countries. Some studies were proved that warm and wet climates can decrease COVID-19 incidence; however, the other studies represented that warm location can be a high risk of COVID-19 incidence. It could be suggested that all climate variables such as temperature, humidity, rainfall, precipitation, solar radiation, ultraviolet index, and wind speed could cause spread of COVID-19. Thus, it is recommended that future studies will survey the role of all meteorological variables and interaction between them on COVID-19 spread in specific small areas such as cities of each country and comparison between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malihe Moazeni
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rahimi
- Department of Combat Desertification, Faculty of Desert Studies, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
| | - Afshin Ebrahimi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Address for correspondence: Dr. Afshin Ebrahimi, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Hezar-Jerib Ave., Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 81676 − 36954, Iran. E-mail:
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Vasudevan M, Natarajan N, Selvi SM, Ravikumar K, Rajendran AD, Bagavathi AB. Correlating the trends of COVID-19 spread and air quality during lockdowns in Tier-I and Tier-II cities of India-lessons learnt and futuristic strategies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:86126-86155. [PMID: 34545523 PMCID: PMC8452450 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16028-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The present study focuses on the impact of early imposed lockdowns and following unlocking phases on the status of air quality in six Tier-I and nine Tier-II cities of India as compared to the pre-lockdown measures. Furthermore, the study highlights the possible correlation of air quality index (AQI) with the initial trend of COVID-19 issues including the vaccination cases. Based on the statistical data analysis, we observed that the long-term averages for representing the short-term pre-lockdown conditions can impose a healing effect to the observed anomalies in air pollution data. However, the reduction in air pollution during the imposed lockdown series was only a phenomenal consequence, and the trends started reversing during the later phases of partial unlocking, where the correlation showed reversing trends. Being a yearly averaged parameter, the marginal reductions in the exceedance factor (EF) alone could not dictate air quality compared to the AQI. As there is incoherent variability in the pollutant distributions among the cities during various phases of the study, the trend analysis served as a preferable criterion to choose the preferred sources of variations. Based on the results, the correlation analysis revealed that air quality expressed in terms of AQI can act as an important precursor to estimate the critical phase of COVID-19 spread and the effectiveness of various control measures taken during each phase. Based on our proposed ranking, Kolkata and Patna are ranked first in the Tier-I and Tier-II cities respectively according to their responsiveness to the various institutionalized restrictions in terms of air quality parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mangottiri Vasudevan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam, Erode, Tamil Nadu, 638401, India
| | - Narayanan Natarajan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India.
| | - Sugashini Masillamani Selvi
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
| | - Kesavan Ravikumar
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
| | - Arun Dharshini Rajendran
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
| | - Anushya Banu Bagavathi
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
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Asif M, Mahajan P. Impact of COVID-19 lockdown and meteorology on the air quality of Srinagar city: A temperate climatic region in Kashmir Himalayas. HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ADVANCES 2022; 4:100025. [PMID: 37520075 PMCID: PMC9474402 DOI: 10.1016/j.heha.2022.100025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The deadly transmission of the coronavirus forced all countries to implement lockdowns to restrict the transmission of this highly infectious disease. As a result of these lockdowns and restrictions, many urban centers have seen a positive impact on air quality with a significant reduction in air pollution. Therefore, in this study, the impact of COVID-19 lockdown vis-a-vis meteorological parameters on the ambient air quality of Srinagar city was examined. In this regard, we have evaluated the temporal variation of six different key air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3, and NH3) along with meteorological parameters (relative humidity, rainfall, temperature, wind speed, and wind direction). The duration of the study was divided into three periods: Before Lockdown(BLD), Lockdown (LD), and Partial Lockdown(PLD). Daily average data for all the parameters was accessed from one of the real-time continuous monitoring stations of the central pollution control board (CPCB) at Rajbagh Srinagar. Some air pollutants have decreased, according to the results, while others have increased. The air quality index (AQI) decreases overall by 6.15 percent compared to before lockdown, and it never exceeds the "moderate" category. The AQI was in the following order for both lockdown and pre-lockdown periods: satisfactory > moderate > good. However, for partial lockdown, it was moderate > satisfactory > good. It was observed that the maximum decrease was seen in the concentration of NO2, NH3 with 75.11% and 69.18%. A modest decrease was observed in PM10 at 3.8%. While SO2 and O3 had an upward trend of 85.82% and 48.74%, The NO2 to SO2 ratio reveals that the emissions of NO2 have substantially decreased due to the complete restriction of transport systems. From principal component analysis for all three study periods, PM10 and PM2.5 were combined into a single component, inferring their shared behavior and source of origin. SO2 and O3 demonstrated identical behavior during the lockdown and partial lockdown periods of study. According to the findings of the study, it is beneficial for the government, environmentalists, and policymakers to impose rigorous lockdown measures, particularly during extreme air pollution events, in order to reduce the damage caused by automotive and industrial emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Asif
- Department of Botanical & Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab 143005, India
| | - Pranav Mahajan
- Punjab School of Economics Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab 143005, India
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Kolluru SSR, Nagendra SMS, Patra AK, Gautam S, Alshetty VD, Kumar P. Did unprecedented air pollution levels cause spike in Delhi's COVID cases during second wave? STOCHASTIC ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND RISK ASSESSMENT : RESEARCH JOURNAL 2022; 37:795-810. [PMID: 36164666 PMCID: PMC9493175 DOI: 10.1007/s00477-022-02308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The onset of the second wave of COVID-19 devastated many countries worldwide. Compared with the first wave, the second wave was more aggressive regarding infections and deaths. Numerous studies were conducted on the association of air pollutants and meteorological parameters during the first wave of COVID-19. However, little is known about their associations during the severe second wave of COVID-19. The present study is based on the air quality in Delhi during the second wave. Pollutant concentrations decreased during the lockdown period compared to pre-lockdown period (PM2.5: 67 µg m-3 (lockdown) versus 81 µg m-3 (pre-lockdown); PM10: 171 µg m-3 versus 235 µg m-3; CO: 0.9 mg m-3 versus 1.1 mg m-3) except ozone which increased during the lockdown period (57 µg m-3 versus 39 µg m-3). The variation in pollutant concentrations revealed that PM2.5, PM10 and CO were higher during the pre-COVID-19 period, followed by the second wave lockdown and the lowest in the first wave lockdown. These variations are corroborated by the spatiotemporal variability of the pollutants mapped using ArcGIS. During the lockdown period, the pollutants and meteorological variables explained 85% and 52% variability in COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths (determined by General Linear Model). The results suggests that air pollution combined with meteorology acted as a driving force for the phenomenal growth of COVID-19 during the second wave. In addition to developing new drugs and vaccines, governments should focus on prediction models to better understand the effect of air pollution levels on COVID-19 cases. Policy and decision-makers can use the results from this study to implement the necessary guidelines for reducing air pollution. Also, the information presented here can help the public make informed decisions to improve the environment and human health significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S. M. Shiva Nagendra
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Aditya Kumar Patra
- Department of Mining Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Sneha Gautam
- Department of Civil Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu India
| | - V. Dheeraj Alshetty
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH Surrey UK
- Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Architecture, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing, 210096 China
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Orak NH. Effect of ambient air pollution and meteorological factors on the potential transmission of COVID-19 in Turkey. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113646. [PMID: 35688216 PMCID: PMC9172252 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
There is a need to improve the understanding of air quality parameters and meteorological conditions on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in different regions of the world. In this preliminary study, we explore the relationship between short-term air quality (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10)) exposure, temperature, humidity, and wind speed on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in 41 cities of Turkey with reported weekly cases from February 8 to April 2, 2021. Both linear and non-linear relationships were explored. The nonlinear association between weekly confirmed cases and short-term exposure to predictor factors was investigated using a generalized additive model (GAM). The preliminary results indicate that there was a significant association between humidity and weekly confirmed COVID-19 cases. The cooler temperatures had a positive correlation with the occurrence of new confirmed cases. The low PM2.5 concentrations had a negative correlation with the number of new cases, while reducing SO2 concentrations may help decrease the number of new cases. This is the first study investigating the relationship between measured air pollutants, meteorological factors, and the number of weekly confirmed COVID-19 cases across Turkey. There are several limitations of the presented study, however, the preliminary results show that there is a need to understand the impacts of regional air quality parameters and meteorological factors on the transmission of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur H Orak
- Marmara University, Department of Environmental Engineering, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Galán-Madruga D. Urban air quality changes resulting from the lockdown period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : IJEST 2022; 20:7083-7098. [PMID: 36035638 PMCID: PMC9391654 DOI: 10.1007/s13762-022-04464-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This work aims to quantify potential pollution level changes in an urban environment (Madrid city, Spain) located in South Europe due to the lockdown measures for preventing the SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Polluting 11 species commonly monitored in urban zones were attended. Except for O3, a prompt target pollutant levels abatement was reached, intensely when implanted stricter measures and moderately along those measures' relaxing period. In the case of TH and CH4, it is evidenced a progressive diminution over the lockdown period. While the highest decreasing average changes relapsed on NOx (NO2: - 40.0% and NO: - 33.3%) and VOCs (C7H8: - 36.3% and C6H6: - 32.8%), followed by SO2 (- 27.0%), PM10 (- 19.7%), CO (- 16.6%), CH4 (- 14.7%), TH (- 11.6%) and PM2.5 (- 10.1%), the O3 level slightly raised 0.4%. These changes were consistently dependent on the measurement station location, emphasizing urban background zones for SO2, CO, C6H6, C7H8, TH and CH4, suburban zones for PM2.5 and O3, urban traffic sites for NO and PM10, and keeping variations reasonably similar at all the stations in the case of NO2. Those pollution changes were not translated in variations on geospatial pattern, except for NO, O3 and SO2. Although the researched urban atmosphere improvement was not attributable to meteorological conditions' variations, it was in line with the decline in traffic intensity. The evidenced outcomes might offer valuable clues to air quality managers in urban environments regarding decision-making in favor of applying punctual severe measures for quickly and considerably relieving polluting high load occurred in urban environments. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-022-04464-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Galán-Madruga
- Department of Atmospheric Pollution, National Center for Environment Health, Health Institute Carlos III, Ctra. Majadahonda a Pozuelo Km 2,2. Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
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Jakob A, Hasibuan S, Fiantis D. Empirical evidence shows that air quality changes during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Jakarta, Indonesia are due to seasonal variation, not restricted movements. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 208:112391. [PMID: 34800535 PMCID: PMC8595973 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Implementing a lockdown or activity restriction to reduce the spread of COVID-19 cases is assumed to improve air quality in highly populated cities. The effect of lockdown on air quality is often quantified by comparing pre- and during-lockdown air quality parameters without considering confounding meteorological factors. We demonstrated that rainfall can explain changes in PM10 and PM2.5 parameters in the city of Jakarta during lockdown. This article shows that comparing air quality pre- and during lockdown is misleading. Variables affecting air quality such as meteorological variables should be taken into account. The air quality in Jakarta as measured by PM10 and PM2.5 did not change significantly during the lockdown period after removing the seasonal effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana Jakob
- BioEnvirometrics Research, Suite 110, Jl. Pangeran Jayakarta No. 70, Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta, 11110, Indonesia.
| | - Saberina Hasibuan
- Environmental Quality Laboratory Department of Aquaculture Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, University of Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
| | - Dian Fiantis
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Andalas University, Kampus Limau Manis, Padang, 25163, Indonesia
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Culqui Lévano DR, Díaz J, Blanco A, Lopez JA, Navas MA, Sánchez-Martínez G, Luna MY, Hervella B, Belda F, Linares C. Mortality due to COVID-19 in Spain and its association with environmental factors and determinants of health. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE 2022; 34:39. [PMID: 35498506 PMCID: PMC9040357 DOI: 10.1186/s12302-022-00617-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to identify which air pollutants, atmospheric variables and health determinants could influence COVID-19 mortality in Spain. This study used information from 41 of the 52 provinces in Spain (from Feb. 1, to May 31, 2021). Generalized Linear Models (GLM) with Poisson link were carried out for the provinces, using the Rate of Mortality due to COVID-19 (CM) per 1,000,000 inhabitants as dependent variables, and average daily concentrations of PM10 and NO2 as independent variables. Meteorological variables included maximum daily temperature (Tmax) and average daily absolute humidity (HA). The GLM model controlled for trend, seasonalities and the autoregressive character of the series. Days with lags were established. The relative risk (RR) was calculated by increases of 10 g/m3 in PM10 and NO2 and by 1 ℃ in the case of Tmax and 1 g/m3 in the case of HA. Later, a linear regression was carried out that included the social determinants of health. RESULTS Statistically significant associations were found between PM10, NO2 and the CM. These associations had a positive value. In the case of temperature and humidity, the associations had a negative value. PM10 being the variable that showed greater association, with the CM followed of NO2 in the majority of provinces. Anyone of the health determinants considered, could explain the differential geographic behavior. CONCLUSIONS The role of PM10 is worth highlighting, as the chemical air pollutant for which there was a greater number of provinces in which it was associated with CM. The role of the meteorological variables-temperature and HA-was much less compared to that of the air pollutants. None of the social determinants we proposed could explain the heterogeneous geographical distribution identified in this study. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12302-022-00617-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dante R. Culqui Lévano
- Reference Unit On Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment National School of Health, Carlos III Health Institute, Monforte de Lemos 5, ZIP 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio Díaz
- Reference Unit On Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment National School of Health, Carlos III Health Institute, Monforte de Lemos 5, ZIP 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Blanco
- Reference Unit On Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment National School of Health, Carlos III Health Institute, Monforte de Lemos 5, ZIP 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - José A. Lopez
- Reference Unit On Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment National School of Health, Carlos III Health Institute, Monforte de Lemos 5, ZIP 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Navas
- Reference Unit On Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment National School of Health, Carlos III Health Institute, Monforte de Lemos 5, ZIP 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - M. Yolanda Luna
- State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Calle Rios Rosas, 44, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Hervella
- State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Calle Rios Rosas, 44, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Belda
- State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Calle Rios Rosas, 44, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Linares
- Reference Unit On Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment National School of Health, Carlos III Health Institute, Monforte de Lemos 5, ZIP 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Marquès M, Domingo JL. Positive association between outdoor air pollution and the incidence and severity of COVID-19. A review of the recent scientific evidences. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111930. [PMID: 34425111 PMCID: PMC8378989 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
In June 2020, we published a review focused on assessing the influence of various air pollutants on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and the severity of COVID-19 in patients infected by the coronavirus. The results of most of those reviewed studies suggested that chronic exposure to certain air pollutants might lead to more severe and lethal forms of COVID-19, as well as delays/complications in the recovery of the patients. Since then, a notable number of studies on this topic have been published, including also various reviews. Given the importance of this issue, we have updated the information published since our previous review. Taking together the previous results and those of most investigations now reviewed, we have concluded that there is a significant association between chronic exposure to various outdoor air pollutants: PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2 and CO, and the incidence/risk of COVID-19 cases, as well as the severity/mortality of the disease. Unfortunately, studies on the potential influence of other important air pollutants such as VOCs, dioxins and furans, or metals, are not available in the scientific literature. In relation to the influence of outdoor air pollutants on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, although the scientific evidence is much more limited, some studies point to PM2.5 and PM10 as potential airborne transmitters of the virus. Anyhow, it is clear that environmental air pollution plays an important negative role in COVID-19, increasing its incidence and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montse Marquès
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, School of Medicine, Sant Llorens 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - José L Domingo
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, School of Medicine, Sant Llorens 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
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Sarmadi M, Rahimi S, Evensen D, Kazemi Moghaddam V. Interaction between meteorological parameters and COVID-19: an ecological study on 406 authorities of the UK. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:67082-67097. [PMID: 34244943 PMCID: PMC8270239 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15279-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the factors affecting COVID-19 transmission is critical in assessing and mitigating the spread of the pandemic. This study investigated the transmissibility and death distribution of COVID-19 and its association with meteorological parameters to study the propagation pattern of COVID-19 in UK regions. We used the reported case and death per capita rate (as of November 13, 2020; before mass vaccination) and long-term meteorological data (temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and visibility) in 406 UK local authority levels based on publicity available secondary data. We performed correlation and regression analysis between COVID-19 variables and meteorological parameters to find the association between COVID-19 and independent variables. Student's T and Mann-Whitney's tests were used to analyze data. The correlation and regression analyses revealed that temperature, dew point, wind speed, and humidity were the most important factors associated with spread and death of COVID-19 (P <0.05). COVID-19 cases negatively correlated with humidity in areas with high population density, but the inverse in low population density areas. Wind speeds in low visibility areas, which are considered polluted air, may increase the spread of disease (r=0.42, P <0.05) and decrease the spread in high visibility areas (r=-0.16, P <0.05). Among low (T <10°C) and high (T >10°C) temperature areas, the average incidence rates were 2056.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1909.49-2204.23) and 1446.76 (95% CI: 1296.71-1596.81). Also, COVID-19 death per capita rates were 81.55 (95% CI: 77.40-85.70) and 69.78 (95% CI: 64.39-75.16) respectively. According to the comprehensive analysis, the spread of disease will be suppressed as the weather warms and humidity and wind speed decrease. Different environmental conditions can increase or decrease spread of the disease due to affecting spread of disease vectors and by altering people's behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Sarmadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran.
- Health Sciences Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran.
| | - Sajjad Rahimi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
- Health Sciences Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Darrick Evensen
- Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH89LF, UK.
| | - Vahid Kazemi Moghaddam
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran
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Xie Z, Zhao R, Ding M, Zhang Z. A Review of Influencing Factors on Spatial Spread of COVID-19 Based on Geographical Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:12182. [PMID: 34831938 PMCID: PMC8620996 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182212182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak is a manifestation of the contradiction between man and land. Geography plays an important role in epidemic prevention and control with its cross-sectional characteristics and spatial perspective. Based on a systematic review of previous studies, this paper summarizes the research progress on factors influencing the spatial spread of COVID-19 from the research content and method and proposes the main development direction of geography in epidemic prevention and control research in the future. Overall, current studies have explored the factors influencing the epidemic spread on different scales, including global, national, regional and urban. Research methods are mainly composed of quantitative analysis. In addition to the traditional regression analysis and correlation analysis, the spatial lag model, the spatial error model, the geographically weighted regression model and the geographic detector have been widely used. The impact of natural environment and economic and social factors on the epidemic spread is mainly reflected in temperature, humidity, wind speed, air pollutants, population movement, economic development level and medical and health facilities. In the future, new technologies, new methods and new means should be used to reveal the driving mechanism of the epidemic spread in a specific geographical space, which is refined, multi-scale and systematic, with emphasis on exploring the factors influencing the epidemic spread from the perspective of spatial and behavioral interaction, and establish a spatial database platform that combines the information of residents' cases, the natural environment and economic society. This is of great significance to further play the role of geography in epidemic prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiang Xie
- College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China; (Z.X.); (M.D.); (Z.Z.)
- Key Research Institute of Yellow River Civilization and Sustainable Development & Collaborative Innovation Center on Yellow River Civilization of Henan Province, Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, China
| | - Rongqin Zhao
- College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China; (Z.X.); (M.D.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Minglei Ding
- College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China; (Z.X.); (M.D.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China; (Z.X.); (M.D.); (Z.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions, Henan University, Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China
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21
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Curtis L. PM 2.5, NO 2, wildfires, and other environmental exposures are linked to higher Covid 19 incidence, severity, and death rates. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:54429-54447. [PMID: 34410599 PMCID: PMC8374108 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15556-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have linked outdoor levels of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, SO2, and other air pollutants to significantly higher rates of Covid 19 morbidity and mortality, although the rate in which specific concentrations of pollutants increase Covid 19 morbidity and mortality varies widely by specific country and study. As little as a 1-μg/m3 increase in outdoor PM2.5 is estimated to increase rates of Covid 19 by as much as 0.22 to 8%. Two California studies have strongly linked heavy wildfire burning periods with significantly higher outdoor levels of PM2.5 and CO as well as significantly higher rates of Covid 19 cases and deaths. Active smoking has also been strongly linked significantly increased risk of Covid 19 severity and death. Other exposures possibly related to greater risk of Covid 19 morbidity and mortality include incense, pesticides, heavy metals, dust/sand, toxic waste sites, and volcanic emissions. The exact mechanisms in which air pollutants increase Covid 19 infections are not fully understood, but are probably related to pollutant-related oxidation and inflammation of the lungs and other tissues and to the pollutant-driven alternation of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in respiratory and other cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Curtis
- East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 5371 Knollwood Parkway Court #F, Hazelwood, MO, 63042, USA.
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22
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Milicevic O, Salom I, Rodic A, Markovic S, Tumbas M, Zigic D, Djordjevic M, Djordjevic M. PM 2.5 as a major predictor of COVID-19 basic reproduction number in the USA. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 201:111526. [PMID: 34174258 PMCID: PMC8223012 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have proposed a relationship between COVID-19 transmissibility and ambient pollution levels. However, a major limitation in establishing such associations is to adequately account for complex disease dynamics, influenced by e.g. significant differences in control measures and testing policies. Another difficulty is appropriately controlling the effects of other potentially important factors, due to both their mutual correlations and a limited dataset. To overcome these difficulties, we will here use the basic reproduction number (R0) that we estimate for USA states using non-linear dynamics methods. To account for a large number of predictors (many of which are mutually strongly correlated), combined with a limited dataset, we employ machine-learning methods. Specifically, to reduce dimensionality without complicating the variable interpretation, we employ Principal Component Analysis on subsets of mutually related (and correlated) predictors. Methods that allow feature (predictor) selection, and ranking their importance, are then used, including both linear regressions with regularization and feature selection (Lasso and Elastic Net) and non-parametric methods based on ensembles of weak-learners (Random Forest and Gradient Boost). Through these substantially different approaches, we robustly obtain that PM2.5 is a major predictor of R0 in USA states, with corrections from factors such as other pollutants, prosperity measures, population density, chronic disease levels, and possibly racial composition. As a rough magnitude estimate, we obtain that a relative change in R0, with variations in pollution levels observed in the USA, is typically ~30%, which further underscores the importance of pollution in COVID-19 transmissibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ognjen Milicevic
- Department for Medical Statistics and Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Igor Salom
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Andjela Rodic
- Quantitative Biology Group, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sofija Markovic
- Quantitative Biology Group, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Tumbas
- Quantitative Biology Group, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dusan Zigic
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Magdalena Djordjevic
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Djordjevic
- Quantitative Biology Group, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
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23
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Low-Cost Air Quality Measurement System Based on Electrochemical and PM Sensors with Cloud Connection. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21186228. [PMID: 34577435 PMCID: PMC8472764 DOI: 10.3390/s21186228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents a portable device for outdoor air quality measurement that provides concentration values for the main pollutants: NO2, NO, CO, O3, PM2.5 and PM10, and other values such as temperature, humidity, location, and date. The device is based on the use of commercial electrochemical gas and optical particle matter sensors with a careful design of the electronics for reducing the electrical noise and increasing the accuracy of the measurements. The result is a low-cost system with IoT technology that connects to the Internet through a GSM module and sends all real-time data to a cloud platform with storage and computational potential. Two identical devices were fabricated and installed on a mobile reference measurement unit and deployed in Badajoz, Spain. The results of a two-month field campaign are presented and published. Data obtained from these measurements were calibrated using linear regression and neural network techniques. Good performance has been achieved for both gaseous pollutants (with a Pearson correlation coefficient of up to 0.97) and PM sensors.
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24
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Arunkumar M, Dhanakumar S. Influence of meteorology, mobility, air mass transport and biomass burning on PM 2.5 of three north Indian cities: phase-wise analysis of the COVID-19 lockdown. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:618. [PMID: 34476627 PMCID: PMC8412385 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09400-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies concluded that air quality has improved due to the enforcement of lockdown in the wake of COVID-19. However, they mostly concentrated on the changes during the lockdown period, and the studies considering the consequences of de-escalation of lockdown are inadequate. Therefore, we investigated the changes in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during the pre-lockdown, strict lockdown, unlocking, and post-lockdown scenarios. In addition, we assessed the influence of meteorology, mobility, air mass transport, and biomass burning on PM2.5 using Google's mobility data, back trajectory model, and satellite-based fire incident data. Average PM2.5 concentrations in Ghaziabad, Noida, and Faridabad decreased by 60.70%, 63.27%, and 60.40%, respectively, during the lockdown. When compared with the preceding year (2019), the reductions during the shutdown period (25 March-31 May) were within the range of 36.34-44.55%. However, considering the entire year, this reduction in PM2.5 is momentary, and a steady increase in traffic density and industrial operations within cities during post-lockdown reflects a potent recovery of aerosol level, during which the average mass of PM2.5 three- to four-folds higher than the lockdown period. Back trajectories and fire activity results showed that biomass burning in the nearby states (Haryana and Punjab) influence aerosol load. We conclude that a partial lockdown in the event of a sudden surge in pollution would be a beneficial approach. However, reducing fossil fuel consumption and switching to more environmentally friendly energy sources, developing green transport networks, and circumventing biomass burning are efficient ways to improve air quality in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Arunkumar
- Department of Environmental Science, PSG College of Arts and Science, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, India 641014
| | - S. Dhanakumar
- Department of Environmental Science, PSG College of Arts and Science, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, India 641014
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25
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Samillan VJ, Flores-León D, Rojas E, Zutta BR. Environmental and climatic impact on the infection and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 in Peru. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol 2021; 32:935-942. [PMID: 34018379 DOI: 10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The role of the environment and climate in the transmission and case fatality rates of SARS-CoV-2 is still being investigated a year into the pandemic. Elevation and air quality are believed to be significant factors in the development of the pandemic, but the influence of additional environmental factors remains unclear. METHODS We explored the relationship between the cumulative number of infections and mortality cases with climate (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, water vapor pressure, wind), environmental data (elevation, normalized difference vegetation index or NDVI, particulate matter at 2.5 μm or PM2.5 and NO2 concentration), and population density in Peru. We use confirmed cases of infection from 1,287 districts and mortality in 479 districts, we used Spearman's correlations to assess the bivariate correlation between environmental and climatic factors with cumulative infection cases, cumulative mortality and case-fatality rate. We explored district cases within the ecozones of coast, sierra, high montane forest and lowland rainforest. RESULTS Multiple linear regression models indicate elevation, mean solar radiation, air quality, population density and green vegetation cover, as a socioeconomic proxy, are influential factors in the distribution of infection and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 in Peru. Case-fatality rate was weakly associated with elevation. CONCLUSIONS Our results also strongly suggest that exposure to poor air quality is a significant factor in the mortality of individuals below the age of 30. We conclude that environmental and climatic factors do play a significant role in the transmission and case fatality rates in Peru, however further study is required to see if these relationships are maintained over time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eduardo Rojas
- School of Geography and History, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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