Sunlight exposure might account for the relatively low COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in tropical countries
https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.41.1.010
- Author:
Muhammad, M.
1
;
Loong, S.K.
2
;
Khor, C.S.
2
;
Mohd-Azami, S.N.I.
2
;
Kafle, A.
3
;
Useh, U.
4
;
Bello, B.
4
;
AbuBakar, S.
2
Author Information
1. Graduate School (Neuroscience Program), Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, 40002 Khon Kaen, Thailand
2. Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre, Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3. Tropical Medicine Graduate Program, Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
4. Lifestyle Diseases, Faculty of Health, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark 1900, South Africa
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
COVID-19;
infectious disease;
sunlight;
tropical;
vitamin D.
- From:Tropical Biomedicine
2024;41(No.1):78-83
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The present study aimed at exploring whether sunlight exposure might account for the relative
difference in COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality between tropical and non-tropical countries.
A retrospective observational study was designed and data from the World Health Organization
weekly COVID-19 epidemiological update was compiled. We examined the total number of confirmed
COVID-19 cases per 100 000 population, as well as the total number of COVID-19-related mortalities
per 100 000 population. Solar variables data were obtained from the Global Solar Atlas website
(https://globalsolaratlas.info/). These data were analyzed to determine the association of sunlight
exposure to COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality in tropical and non-tropical countries. Results
revealed a statistically significant decrease in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100 000
population (P<0.001), as well as the number of COVID-19-related mortalities per 100 000 population
(P<0.001) between tropical and non-tropical countries. Analyses of sunlight exposure data found that
specific photovoltaic power output, global horizontal irradiation, diffuse horizontal irradiation and
global tilted irradiation at optimum angle were significantly inversely correlated to COVID-19-related
morbidity and mortality. This suggests that stronger sunlight exposure potentially leads to lower
COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality. Findings from this study suggest that the relatively low
COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality in tropical countries were possibly due to better sunlight
exposure that translates into adequate vitamin D status.
- Full text:20240712102902905628.2024my1456.pdf
