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The Role of Climate During the COVID-19 epidemic in New South Wales, Australia
  • Michael Ward,
  • Shuang Xiao,
  • Zhijie Zhang
Michael Ward
University of Sydney

Corresponding Author:michael.ward@sydney.edu.au

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Shuang Xiao
Fudan University
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Zhijie Zhang
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Abstract

Previous research has identified a relationship between climate and occurrence of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV cases, information that can be used to reduce the risk of infection. Using COVID-19 notification and postcode data from New South Wales, Australia during the exponential phase of the epidemic in 2020, we used time-series analysis to investigate the relationship between 749 cases of locally-acquired COVID-19 and daily rainfall, 9am and 3pm temperature, and 9am and 3pm relative humidity. Lower 9am relative humidity (but not rainfall or temperature) was associated with increased case occurrence; a reduction in relative humidity of 1% was predicted to be associated with an increase of COVID-19 cases by 6.11%. During periods of low relative humidity, the public health system should anticipate an increased number of COVID-19 cases.
05 May 2020Submitted to Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
05 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
05 May 2020Assigned to Editor
06 May 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
09 May 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
09 May 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
09 May 20201st Revision Received
11 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
11 May 2020Assigned to Editor
12 May 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
12 May 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
12 May 2020Editorial Decision: Accept
Jun 2020Published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 10.1111/tbed.13631