The corona virus is 'very sensitive' to high temperatures, but it is unlikely it will die in the summer

The corvid virus, which causes Covid-19, is thought to spread the fastest at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, but WHO experts say it would be wrong to think the disease disappeared by the summer.

The South China Morning Post cited a new study by scientists from Sun Yatai University in Guangzhou City, saying the Covid-19 virus corona virus is the most likely to spread at a specific temperature. WHO health experts warn against thinking about the virus responding to weather changes just like other flu viruses.

The effect of temperature

Research by Chinese scientists was carried out to determine whether temperature and seasonal weather changes affect the rate of Coona-19 corona virus transmission.

Published last month, despite not having peer-reviewed, the study says temperature plays an important role in the ability of the virus to spread.

Despite the high average temperature, Iran is still the third largest outbreak of Covid-19 in the world.(Photo: AP).

" The temperature can significantly change the rate of Covid-19 spread. And there may be an optimal temperature for the virus to spread, " the study said.

Similar to the popular opinion about the viruses that cause influenza, scientists from Sun Yatai University think that the corona virus that causes Covid-19 disease "is particularly sensitive to high temperatures," which will prevent its ability to spread in warmer countries, while the opposite is true in regions with cold climates.

The study recommends that "countries and regions with low temperatures should apply strict control measures ".

Health officials and governments in many countries are confident that the risk of corona virus infection will decrease as temperatures rise - something that happens with similar viruses that cause common or seasonal flu. .

However, a separate study by a team of scientists, including epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch from Harvard University's TH Chan School of Public Health, found that prolonged infections and increased infection rates had can occur in a range of humidity conditions - from cold and dry provinces in China, to tropical climates such as the Zhuang Autonomous Region of Guangxi Province or Singapore.

" Weather factors alone, such as rising temperatures and humidity in the spring and summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, do not necessarily lead to a decrease in the number of viral infections without intervention. public health on a large scale, "said the scientists. This research was published in February and is also awaiting scientific review.

Chinese scientists conduct research based on data from new corona virus infections worldwide from January 20 to February 4, including data from more than 400 Chinese cities and regions.

These data were then modeled and collated with official Chinese meteorological data in January as well as new cities and countries around the world.

Big question mark in the summer

The analysis showed that the number of infections increased the highest in the environment at 8.72 degrees Celsius, and gradually decreased as the temperature increased and decreased far from this landmark.

" Temperature . has an impact on human habitats and can play an important role in public health in the outbreak and control of an epidemic ," the study said.

The study also suggested that the climate plays an important role in causing the disease outbreak in Wuhan city - where the first virus was discovered.

Mr. Hassan Zaraket from the Center for Infectious Diseases Research at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon, said that the warmer, wetter weather would make the corona virus less stable, and make it less likely to spread, similar to other viral pathogens.

" We are still learning about this virus, but based on what we know about other corona virus strains, we can hope ," Zaraket said.

" As temperatures get warmer, virus stability can decline . if the weather helps us reduce the ability of the virus to transmit disease and environmental stability, then we can break the chain of infection. " , this expert added.

However, even if this is true, the benefits will be greatest in areas where there is not yet widespread publicity in the community, according to Mike Ryan, Director of Emergency Medicine World Health Organization (WHO).

Ryan urged people not to be confident that the epidemic would automatically decline in the summer.

" We have to assume that the virus continues to be able to spread ," he said. " It is a false hope to say that, yes, it will disappear like the flu . we cannot make that assumption. And there is no evidence for that assumption either ."

Maimuna Majumder, another Harvard epidemiologist, thinks whether corona virus reduces its spread in the summer is still a big question.

" Just because some respiratory illnesses like seasonal flu do not mean that Covid-19 will be like that, " Majumder said.

She and her colleagues recently published (not yet approved) research suggesting that changes in weather across China do not seem to affect the outbreak.

1. Handbook for questions and answers on acute respiratory infections caused by corona virus (nCoV)
2. Why is the nCoV virus less likely to affect children?
3. WHO collaborates with the Ministry of Health to provide necessary precautions when working to prevent Covid-19
4. Covid-19 classification chart of people infected with HIV needs to be sure