Meteorological factors and domestic new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in nine Asian cities: A time-series analysis

Zonglin He; Yiqiao Chin; Jian Huang; Yi He; Babatunde O. Akinwunmi; Shinning Yu; Casper J.P. Zhang; Wai-kit Ming

In this study, we investigated the associations between meteorological factors and patterns of daily new cases of COVID-19 across nine Asian cities. Our analyses suggest a positive relationship between temperature and daily new cases of COVID-19 in Guangzhou, Singapore (except in the lagged 14d model), Hong Kong (except in the lagged 7d and 14d model) and Beijing (high curvilinearity). Relative humidity positively with the number of daily new cases in Singapore (except in the lagged 14d model), Hong Kong (except in the lagged 3d model). Negative association between relative humidity and the number of daily new cases was only observed in Shanghai consistently. Associations of temperature and relative humidity on the daily new cases were less evident in Tokyo, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur. The relationships in Wuhan presented a great fluctuating pattern. Therefore, our analysis suggest, unlike influenza, seasonality of COVID-19 may not be expected, and the epidemic is unlikely to fade out itself when summer comes.