Recently, a study conducted by researchers from Germany and Cyprus showed that 15% of COVID-19 deaths were related to long-term exposure to polluted air.
In Berlin, Germany, two policemen supervise pedestrians wearing masks at an intersection. Xinhua News Agency
Al Jazeera TV reported on the 27th that the study was published in the medical journal Cardiovascular Research on the 27th. In the study, researchers from Germany and Cyprus analyzed the health and disease data related to air pollution, COVID-19 and SARS in the United States and other countries. At the same time, researchers also use the global air pollution data detected by satellite and the network of ground detection of air pollutants to calculate which air pollution will lead to the death of COVID-19 patients.
The results show that 27% of COVID-19 deaths in East Asia are related to long-term exposure to air pollution, 19% in Europe and 17% in North America.
Research shows that the pollutant particles in the air may cause the human body to appear "symptoms that can lead to fatal consequences" after being infected with COVID-19. "If we are exposed to air pollution for a long time and are infected with COVID-19, it will have adverse effects on our health, especially cardiovascular health," said Thomas Munzel, co-author of the study.
Munzel emphasized that air pollutants seem to enhance the activity of the receptor ACE-2 on the surface of lung cells, which is known to be related to human infection with COVID-19.
The study points out that since air pollution will increase the mortality rate of patients with COVID-19, countries must reduce the emission of air pollutants.