ICU admissions and in-hospital deaths linked to COVID-19 in the Paris region are correlated with previously observed ambient temperature

Mejdoubi, Mehdi; Kyndt, Xavier; Djennaoui, Mehdi

The purpose of this ecological study was to explore the association of weather with severity indicators of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Daily COVID-19-related intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and in-hospital deaths in the Paris region and the daily weather characteristics of Paris midtown were correlated with a time lag. We assessed different study periods (41, 45, 50, 55, and 62 days) beginning from 31 March 2020. Daily ICU admissions and in-hospital deaths were strongly and negatively correlated to ambient temperatures (minimal, average, and maximal). The highest Pearson correlation coefficients and statistically significant p values were found 8 days before the occurrence of ICU admissions and 15 days before deaths. Partial correlations with adjustment on days since lockdown showed similar significant results. The study findings show a negative correlation of previously observed ambient temperature with severity indicators of COVID-19 that could partly explain the death toll discrepancies between and within countries.