Coronavirus may become severe in colder months than the warmer ones and the dry air indoors can also lead to the spread of the deadly virus, according to a new study.
The King’s College, London, researchers noted that coronavirus spread would decrease from winter days to summer days. A study in India has already warned of serious concern over controlling the deadly virus in Monsoon, pre-monsoon and winter days ahead.
The study analysed data from 6,914 patients admitted to hospital with coronavirus in Spain, Croatia, Italy, Finland, Germany, UK, China and Poland. They mapped the data against the local temperature and indoor humidity. They claimed about 15 per cent drop in mortality for every one degree Celsius rise in temperature.
They also said that severity of symptoms and mortality rate remained constant in China during the first wave of the pandemic, which occurred solely throughout winter. In the analysis of UK patients, the researchers found a steady decrease in t6he spread of the virus from March through May as the temperature rose.
The researchers also noted that there were fewer deaths in hot, humid countries in East Asia when compared to Europe and other temperate regions.
Senior author Dr Gordan Lauc said that the findings showed that there was some relation between the seasons and coronavirus. Lauc is professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Zagreb and honorary visiting professor at King’s College London.
Though the seasonal changes are yet to be studied in depth, the researchers claimed that there was some seasonal influence on the virus.
