Title
High altitude reduces infection rate of COVID-19 but not case-fatality rate
Date Issued
01 October 2020
Access level
open access
Resource Type
letter
Publisher(s)
Elsevier B.V.
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is suggested that life at high altitude may reduce COVID-19 infections and case-fatality rates (cases/deaths). We study data from Peru COVID-19 pandemics, which first case was recorded on March 6th, 2020. By June 13, 2020 there were 6498 deaths, and 224,132 SARS-CoV-2 positives. Using data from 185 capitals of provinces with altitudes ranging from 3 to 4342 m, we confirm previous reports that infection with COVID-19 at high altitude is reduced. However, case-fatality rate is not dependent of altitude. We have also presented first evidence that female protection towards death by COVID-19 is reduced as altitude of residence increases.
Volume
281
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Enfermedades infecciosas
Salud pública, Salud ambiental
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85088140658
PubMed ID
Source
Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology
ISSN of the container
15699048
Sponsor(s)
Gustavo F. Gonzales is supported by Grant U01TW010107 (1/2 Regional GEOHealth hub centered in Peru) from the National Institutes of Health (Fogarty Program). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus