Researchers suggest in a study conducted by the University of Maryland in Baltimore that the SARS-CoV-2 virus follows a seasonal schedule and prefers a cool, dry climate, Agerpres reports.

The researchers looked at the association between climate type and the spread of COVID-19 infection, examining climate data in cities around the world affected or not by coronavirus between January 1 and March 10 this year.

 Comparing eight cities with a strong spread of the epidemic (Wuhan, Tokyo, Daegu, Qom, Milan, Paris, Seattle and Madrid) with 42 other cities that were not affected or did not register with the new coronavirus, it was found that the cities  most affected by the pandemic are in a latitude corridor between 30 and 50 degrees north (N), and their climate patterns are similar: they have an average temperature between 5 and 11 degrees Celsius and a specific low humidity (between 44 and  84%), when the virus spreads faster.

 Thus, the study shows that the distribution of substantial outbreaks of COVID-19 caused by values ​​such as latitude, temperature and humidity are consistent with the behavior of the seasonal respiratory virus and that SARS-CoV-2 is more difficult to spread under conditions of higher temperature and humidity.

 An analysis of the distribution of coronavirus outbreaks could help prevent areas at high risk of transmission in the future, although the study's authors warn that new research on climate models is needed.