Will corona outbreak fade out as it gets warmer?

Utku Perktaş writes: New scientific evidence endorses that there may be a significant relationship between coronavirus and climate. As the environment gets dry, the weather gets warmer, the chances of the virus surviving in the external environment will decrease. However, although the climate is an important variable the host, which is the most important reason for the pandemic situation, is human.

Duvar English

Utku Perktaş, a professor of biogeography in the Biology Department at Hacettepe University in Ankara, penned a piece for yetkinreport which analyzes the relationship between coronavirus and climate. Perktaş argues that as the environment gets dry, the weather gets warmer so the chances of the virus surviving in the external environment will decrease.

"The risk of spread for coronavirus is related to seasonal changes in climate suitability. The most important conclusion from these results is that the risk is not between the northern and southern hemispheres of the world, but between the temperate and cold temperate regions of the world. In other words, in hot-temperate countries such as (large regions of) China, Central Asian countries and Iran in Asia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, England, Germany, Greece and Turkey in Europe and the U.S. in North America, the virus is more active in seasons such as autumn, winter, and spring," Perktaş wrote.

However Perktaş warned that although the climate is an important variable, it would not be enough to explain everything about the distribution of the virus.

"The virus needs a host to move. This host, which is the most important reason for the pandemic situation, is human. The mobility and behavior of man is essentially the most important factor that will affect the density of the host," he said.

According to Perktaş, the steps taken to limit human movements are vital to prevent the spread of the outbreak.

Utku Perktaş's piece in full can be reached here.