Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19
This study investigates the air pollution-induced mortality rate during the second wave of COVID-19, which claimed several thousand lives in the capital city of India, New Delhi, even during a lockdown period. Delhi is a hotspot of unhealthy air quality. During the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021, s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/6/306 |
| _version_ | 1797481816828936192 |
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| author | M. G. Manoj M. K. Satheesh Kumar K. T. Valsaraj Soumya K. Vijayan T. Nishanth |
| author_facet | M. G. Manoj M. K. Satheesh Kumar K. T. Valsaraj Soumya K. Vijayan T. Nishanth |
| author_sort | M. G. Manoj |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the air pollution-induced mortality rate during the second wave of COVID-19, which claimed several thousand lives in the capital city of India, New Delhi, even during a lockdown period. Delhi is a hotspot of unhealthy air quality. During the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021, surface ozone levels were observed to be higher, which had a direct impact on lung function, thereby making people more susceptible to COVID-19. The correlation coefficient between surface ozone concentration and mortality has been observed to be 0.74 at a 95% confidence level. This work focuses on the plausible impact and feedback of poor air quality induced by the burning of open-air funeral pyres due to the increased COVID-19 mortality rate in New Delhi, estimated by using an epidemiological model (AirQ+) of the World Health Organization. The mortality rate estimated quantitatively with the aid of AirQ+ is 1.27 excess deaths per 100,000 population due to surface ozone from pyre burning. The findings suggest transformational system goals before the resurgence of a subsequent wave. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:19:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c4efc345fd544a1a4937b6f84b5cd4f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:19:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c4efc345fd544a1a4937b6f84b5cd4f2023-11-23T19:16:03ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042022-06-0110630610.3390/toxics10060306Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19M. G. Manoj0M. K. Satheesh Kumar1K. T. Valsaraj2Soumya K. Vijayan3T. Nishanth4Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682022, IndiaDepartment of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, IndiaCain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USACollege of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government Medical College, Kannur 670503, IndiaDepartment of Physics, Sree Krishna College, Guruvayur 680102, Kerala, IndiaThis study investigates the air pollution-induced mortality rate during the second wave of COVID-19, which claimed several thousand lives in the capital city of India, New Delhi, even during a lockdown period. Delhi is a hotspot of unhealthy air quality. During the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021, surface ozone levels were observed to be higher, which had a direct impact on lung function, thereby making people more susceptible to COVID-19. The correlation coefficient between surface ozone concentration and mortality has been observed to be 0.74 at a 95% confidence level. This work focuses on the plausible impact and feedback of poor air quality induced by the burning of open-air funeral pyres due to the increased COVID-19 mortality rate in New Delhi, estimated by using an epidemiological model (AirQ+) of the World Health Organization. The mortality rate estimated quantitatively with the aid of AirQ+ is 1.27 excess deaths per 100,000 population due to surface ozone from pyre burning. The findings suggest transformational system goals before the resurgence of a subsequent wave.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/6/306COVID-19air pollutionmass cremationfuneral pyresurface ozone |
| spellingShingle | M. G. Manoj M. K. Satheesh Kumar K. T. Valsaraj Soumya K. Vijayan T. Nishanth Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19 Toxics COVID-19 air pollution mass cremation funeral pyre surface ozone |
| title | Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_full | Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_short | Exacerbation of Fatality Rates Induced by Poor Air Quality Due to Open-Air Mass Funeral Pyre Cremation during the Second Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | exacerbation of fatality rates induced by poor air quality due to open air mass funeral pyre cremation during the second wave of covid 19 |
| topic | COVID-19 air pollution mass cremation funeral pyre surface ozone |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/6/306 |
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