As wildfires continue to rage across the western United States and Canada, a recent study has found that wildfire smoke is positively correlated with an increase in COVID-19 cases.
the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology
Between Aug. 15 and Oct. 10, 2020, Reno was blanketed with smoke from nearby wildfires in the U.S. West and saw a significant increase in PM2.5 concentration. During this time, researchers observed a 17.7 per cent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The researchers calculated that a 10-microgram-per-cubic-metre increase in the 7-day average PM2.5 concentration was associated with a 6.3 per cent increase in the COVID-19 positivity rate.
"We had a unique situation here in Reno last year where we were exposed to wildfire smoke more often than many other areas, including the Bay Area," co-lead author Gai Elhanan in a news release. "We are located in an intermountain valley that restricts the dispersion of pollutants and possibly increases the magnitude of exposure, which makes it even more important for us to understand smoke impacts on human health.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
243 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. as surge in Interior continuesB.C.'s Ministry of Health has announced another 243 cases of COVID-19, most of them in the Interior Health region, where infections have been surging in recent days.
Read more »
Ontario reports 226 new COVID-19 cases, 11 new deathsHealth Minister Christine Elliott says 62 of the new cases are in Toronto, 35 were in Waterloo Region, and 24 were in Peel
Read more »
Ontario reports 258 new cases, six more deaths linked to COVID-19There are 83 patients on ventilators in the province, as 81,590 more doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered Friday
Read more »
Ontario reports more than 200 new COVID-19 cases for third day in a rowFor the third consecutive day, Ontario is reporting more than 200 new cases of COVID-19.
Read more »
Majority of COVID-19 cases at large public events were among vaccinated Americans: CDC studyA new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that three-quarters of individuals who became infected with COVID-19 at public events in a Massachusetts county had been fully vaccinated.
Read more »