Correlation between UV Index, Temperature and Humidity with Respect to Incidence and Severity of COVID 19 in Spain
Pérez-Gilaberte et al.,
Correlation between UV Index, Temperature and Humidity with Respect to Incidence and Severity of COVID 19 in..,
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, doi:10.3390/ijerph20031973
Analysis of COVID-19 in 5 provinces in Spain, showing UV exposure negatively correlated with COVID-19 cases and hospitalization.
Pérez-Gilaberte et al., 20 Jan 2023, Spain, peer-reviewed, 6 authors, study period January 2020 - February 2021.
Contact:
jaguilera@uma.es (corresponding author).
Abstract: International Journal of
Environmental Research
and Public Health
Article
Correlation between UV Index, Temperature and Humidity
with Respect to Incidence and Severity of COVID 19 in Spain
Juan Blas Pérez-Gilaberte 1 , Natalia Martín-Iranzo 2 , José Aguilera 3, * , Manuel Almenara-Blasco 4 ,
María Victoria de Gálvez 3 and Yolanda Gilaberte 4
1
2
3
4
*
Citation: Pérez-Gilaberte, J.B.;
Martín-Iranzo, N.; Aguilera, J.;
Almenara-Blasco, M.; de Gálvez, M.V.;
Department of Internal Medicine, Miguel Servet University Hospital, IIS Aragon, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Medical School, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Photobiological Dermatology Laboratory Medical Research Center, Department of Dermatology and
Medicine, School of Medicine, Campus Universitario de Teatinos S/N, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, IIS Aragon, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Correspondence: jaguilera@uma.es; Tel.: +34-(95)-2137540
Abstract: Background: Various studies support the inverse correlation between solar exposure
and Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection. In Spain, from the Canary Islands to the northern part of
the country, the global incidence of COVID-19 is different depending on latitude, which could be
related to different meteorological conditions such as temperature, humidity, and ultraviolet index
(UVI). The objective of the present work was to analyze the association between UVI, other relevant
environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, and the incidence, severity, and mortality
of COVID-19 at different latitudes in Spain. Methods: An observational prospective study was
conducted, recording the numbers of new cases, hospitalizations, patients in critical units, mortality
rates, and annual variations related to UVI, temperature, and humidity in five different provinces
of Spain from January 2020 to February 2021. Results: Statistically significant inverse correlations
(Spearman coefficients) were observed between UVI, temperature, annual changes, and the incidence
of COVID-19 cases at almost all latitudes. Conclusion: Higher ultraviolet radiation levels and mean
temperatures could contribute to reducing COVID-19 incidence, hospitalizations, and mortality.
Keywords: COVID-19 incidence; hospitalizations; mortality; ultraviolet radiation; temperature
Gilaberte, Y. Correlation between UV
Index, Temperature and Humidity
with Respect to Incidence and
Severity of COVID 19 in Spain. Int. J.
Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20,
1973. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph
20031973
Academic Editor: Paul B. Tchounwou
Received: 20 December 2022
Revised: 12 January 2023
Accepted: 15 January 2023
Published: 20 January 2023
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).
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