The smoke of the wildfire can help pathogens and microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2, to increase in regions.
The study, published in the journal European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, revealed that wildfire allied environmental pollution is highly toxic and can cause significant wide-ranging damage. The damage includes the facilitation of the transmission of diseases.
Through the study, the researchers intended to investigate the effect of wildfire allied pollutants, particulate matter (PM-2.5 μm), and carbon monoxide (CO) on the dynamics of daily cases and deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 infection in San Francisco, United States.
The data on the Covid-19 pandemic in San Francisco, including daily new cases and new deaths, were recorded from Worldometer Web.
The researchers found that the wildfire allied pollutants, particulate matter PM-2.5μm, and CO have a positive association with an increased number of SARS-COV-2 daily cases, cumulative cases, and cumulative deaths in San Francisco.
The authors wrote in their study: “The metrological, disaster management and health officials must implement the necessary policies and assist in planning to minimize the wildfire incidences, environmental pollution, and Covid-19 pandemic both at regional and international levels.”
For the study, the researchers selected San Francisco, one of the regions affected by the wildfire's allied pollution in California, USA.