Does higher mortality rates of COVID-19 patients caused due to air pollution?

Image Source: health.mil

World Health Organization (WHO) officials have said that elevated levels of air pollution could prove to be a risk factor for severe cases of COVID-19. Two recent studies reveal a link between elevated air pollution and higher rates of coronavirus deaths. One of these studies is from researchers at Harvard University. Let's know in detail ...

Are there higher mortality rates of COVID-19 patients in areas with air pollution?

According to Dr Maria Neera, director of WHO's Department of Public Health and Environment, "If countries have high levels of pollution then it is important to consider this aspect in their fight with COVID-19. This is because the death rate of COVID-19 patients is expected to increase due to air pollution.

Image Source: Wikipedia

He said, 'We are keeping an eye on Latin America, Africa and Asia. We are mapping the most polluted cities based on our database so that governments can be supported in these areas. With this, they can prepare properly to deal with the epidemic. '

1) Medical professionals in some countries say that they have seen some patients who were already battling air pollution based diseases and then succumbed to severe COVID-19 infection. 

The World Health Organization estimates that about 7 million deaths occur every year due to air pollution. According to the World Bank's report on the global distribution of air pollution released last year, many of the countries affected by air pollution are countries in South Asia, Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa.

2) Several reports from the World Health Organization and the UN Environment have also found dangerous levels of air pollution in Latin American countries like Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Peru. 

A Harvard University study on the impact of prolonged air pollution has shown that a slight increase in pollution levels in the first years of the epidemic can lead to a 15% increase in the death rate of COVID-19.

3) This study on most parts of the US compared the air pollution levels and census data for the entire country with the COVID-19 mortality data from the John Hopkins University's Center for Systems and Engineering Corona Virus Resource Center. 

According to the findings of researchers at Harvard University TH Chan School of Public Health, the death rate is higher in places where fine particles, known as PM 2.5, have a higher density.

4) A Harvard University report noted, "COVID-19 mortality has generally been seen to be trending at both higher population densities and higher PM2.5 exposure areas." PM 2.5 are fine particles, whose size is equal to one-third of the diameter of human hair. 

These particles can reach the lungs and arteries through the breath. They have also been linked to health problems like respiratory infections and lung cancer earlier.

5) The study has not yet been reviewed by other institutions, but Professor Anythe Peters, chair of epidemiology at Ludwig Maximilien's University in Germany, said the findings are praiseworthy.

6) Another study focused on Northern Italy. This study also revealed that there may be a relation between higher air pollution and higher death rate of COVID-19. The study was done by researchers from the University of Siena in Italy and Aarhus University in Denmark. 

Official figures in Italy show that the rate of deaths due to COVID-19 in the Lombardy and Emilia Romagna areas as of March 21 was around 12 per cent, compared with only 4.5 per cent for the rest of Italy.

7) "High levels of pollution in northern Italy can be considered as an additional cause of high deaths due to COVID-19 in this region," the study, published in Science Direct, states. 

It also states that other reasons such as diversity in population, age, different health systems and prevention policies in regions should also be looked into. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that more than 90 per cent of the world's population lives in places where air pollution is higher than its guideline limits.

8) Some doctors in India have reported that they are taking seriously the possible link between diseases caused by air pollution and cases of COVID-19. Head of Department of Pulmonary of Primus Super Specialty Hospital, Delhi, Dr. According to SK Chhabra, "If the virus spreads on a large scale, then the victims of diseases caused by air pollution will surely be the worst affected."

9) Shrinath Reddy, President Professor, Public Health Foundation India agrees. He says, "If air pollution has damaged airways and lung tissue, the ability to fight the coronavirus decreases." 

However, the Indian government health officials say that there is not enough information to prove the link between corona and air pollution. Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) spokesperson Drs. Rajni Kant Srivastava says, "There is no strong evidence for this and we are not doing any such study."

You can also read some of the popular posts here :

What Ayurvedic Medicine has to offer in a fight against coronavirus?
Symptoms and Types of human coronaviruses 2020

What is Aarogya Setu App? Things you need to know 2020

COVID19 Impact: Why GDP will go down?

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article about Does higher mortality rates of COVID-19 patients caused due to air pollution? If you like my work, please share it with your friends, family and relatives. You can also follow me on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.