Airborne particulate matter and increased risk of COVID-19 infection

Particulate matter are effective factors in the spread of viruses, fungi and bacteria that can affect the prevalence of epidemics. In this study, we surveyed the effects of particulate matter on the number of COVID-19 patients in Iranian cities.

The levels of air pollution in different cities of Iran were evaluated based on the official report of Iranian Department of Environment. The relationship between air pollution and the prevalence of affected COVID-19 patients in different cities was reviewed and analyzed.

The results showed that COVID-19 were prevalent in cities with the highest level of air pollution in fourteen days before the observed rise in the number of affected cases.

The increase in the rate of COVID-19 patients in dusty cities in Iran emphasized that particulate matter may be effective in the increasing number of COVID-19 patients. Further studies on the effect of airborne pollutants on the prevalence of epidemics are thus recommended.