Environment and COVID-19 incidence: A critical review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented worldwide health crisis. Many previous research studies have found and investigated its links with one or some natural or human environmental factors. However, a review on the relationship between COVID-19 incidence and both the natural and human environment is still lacking. This review summarizes the inter-correlation between COVID-19 incidence and environmental factors. Based on keyword searching, we reviewed 100 relevant peer-reviewed articles and other research literature published since January 2020. This review is focused on three main findings. One, we found that individual environmental factors have impacts on COVID-19 incidence, but with spatial heterogeneity and uncertainty. Two, environmental factors exert interactive effects on COVID-19 incidence. In particular, the interactions of natural factors can affect COVID-19 transmission in micro- and macro- ways by impacting SARS-CoV-2 survival, as well as human mobility and behaviors. Three, the impact of COVID-19 incidence on the environment lies in the fact that COVID-19-induced lockdowns caused air quality improvement, wildlife shifts and socio-economic depression. The additional value of this review is that we recommend future research perspectives and adaptation strategies regarding the interactions of the environment and COVID-19. Future research should be extended to cover both the effects of the environment on the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19-induced impacts on the environment. Future adaptation strategies should focus on sustainable environmental and public policy responses.     

新冠肺炎疫情对农村人居环境整治的影响

新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情的发生,影响了我国经济水平较低、环境管控力度较薄弱的农村地区的发展.通过对新冠肺炎防疫过程与农村人居环境整治工作间的相互关系进行剖析,探究新冠肺炎疫情防控对农村人居环境整治的主要影响.结果表明,农村垃圾堆积、污水处理不当、厕所粪污无害化处理不达标以及基础设施建设不完善等农村人居环境薄弱环节,存在形成病毒传播扩散途径的风险.而交通运输限制虽然有效抑制了新冠肺炎疫情扩散,但也致使农村人居整治工作延滞.同时,新冠肺炎疫情的传播扩散在短期内限制了农民行为活动,降低了群众对农村人居环境整治工作的热情.据此,建议应健全农村人居环境整治制度,完善整治工程技术,从而在有效管控新冠肺炎疫情传播的同时,更好地推进农村人居环境整治,提高农民生活质量,为疫情过后恢复农民生活、农业生产以及农村发展打下坚实的基础.      

Number of COVID-19 cases required in a population to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in the province of Alberta, Canada: Sensitivity assessment

With a unique and large size of testing results of 1,842 samples collected from 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for 14 months through from low to high prevalence of COVID-19, the sensitivity of RT-qPCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater that correspond to the communities was computed by using Probit analysis. This study determined the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population required to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater at defined probabilities and provided an evidence-based framework of wastewater-based epidemiology surveillance (WBE). Input data were positive and negative test results of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples and the corresponding new COVID-19 case rates per 100,000 population served by each WWTP. The analyses determined that RT-qPCR-based SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection threshold at 50%, 80% and 99% probability required a median of 8 (range: 4-19), 18 (9-43), and 38 (17-97) of new COVID-19 cases /100,000, respectively. Namely, the positive detection rate at 50%, 80% and 99% probability were 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.04% averagely for new cases in the population. This study improves understanding of the performance of WBE SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection using the large datasets and prolonged study period. Estimated COVID-19 burden at a community level that would result in a positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is critical to support WBE application as a supplementary warning/monitoring system for COVID-19 prevention and control.     

新冠肺炎封城对南京污染排放的影响

2020年初新冠肺炎疫情爆发以后,为了有效防止疫情扩散和蔓延,全国主要城市都相继停工停产,人类活动和污染排放强度大幅降低.本文针对新冠肺炎爆发前后南京地区污染排放变化,利用南京及周边地区的逐时污染观测资料,基于在线区域化学传输模式WRF-Chem和集合平方根滤波同化系统,在同时同化污染物浓度初始场和污染源排放的框架下,在1 km的高分辨率条件下进行了逐时同化实验模拟.结果表明,由于疫情管控,2月南京市区的PM_2.5气溶胶和NO源排放分别较1月减少4.4%和30%,减少的区域主要位于工业区和南京城区.该结果显示同化系统在反演高时空分辨率的污染源方面具有很好的潜力.     

新冠肺炎疫情期间我国居民佩戴口罩防护行为研究

口罩作为阻隔病毒传染的物理方式之一,其能阻断病原体经飞沫传播,同时具有双向隔离保护作用.佩戴口罩对于公众防范新型冠状病毒（2019-nCoV）感染的风险和维持人体基本健康具有重要意义.为了解新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情期间我国居民佩戴口罩的行为模式特征,基于新冠肺炎疫情期间我国人群环境暴露行为模式调查,分析全国31个省（自治区、直辖市）居民在新冠肺炎疫情期间佩戴口罩的行为特征,并探讨不同潜在风险人群佩戴口罩行为模式的差异性.结果表明:①在新冠肺炎疫情期间,我国人群外出佩戴口罩的比例在99%以上,显著高于非疫情期间的口罩佩戴率（16.05%）,其中,医务人员以及与人群广泛接触群体的口罩佩戴率最高（100%）.②居民以仅佩戴医用外科口罩、仅佩戴一次性使用医用口罩以及佩戴医用外科口罩和一次性使用医用口罩3种模式为主,占31种口罩佩戴模式的60%以上.③新冠肺炎疫情期间,不同职业人群、不同所属人群以及不同疫情地区人群佩戴口罩的比例均存在显著差异.④新冠肺炎疫情期间,我国居民佩戴口罩的更换频次多为累计使用时长4 h更换一次和累计使用时长24 h更换一次.⑤人群外出佩戴口罩的比例随新冠肺炎疫情严重程度的升高而增加.尽管新冠肺炎疫情分布特征和管控措施存在差异,但居民佩戴口罩行为均表现良好,其中居住地不存在疑似病例的人群比居住地存在疑似病例的人群的口罩佩戴率更高,说明人群佩戴口罩行为与疫情的发展可能存在一定的相互作用.研究显示,新冠肺炎疫情期间我国人群佩戴口罩这一防护行为总体执行较好.      

COVID-19管控前后不同污染阶段PM2.5中二次无机离子变化特征

为探讨新冠肺炎疫情(COVID-19)管控前后不同污染阶段PM_2.5中二次无机离子变化特征,使用高分辨率(1 h)在线仪器对2019年12月15日至2020年2月15日郑州冬季气象、污染气体浓度和PM_2.5中水溶性离子水平进行在线监测,分析此次COVID-19管控前后霾过程的成因、大气污染物的日变化特征和在霾不同阶段下大气污染物的分布特征.结果表明,郑州主要受到高压脊控制,天气形势稳定,有利于大气污染物累积,二次无机气溶胶(SNA,包括SO₄^2-、NO^-₃和NH⁺₄)是水溶性离子的主要组分,占比高达90%以上,COVID-19期间居家隔离措施对霾不同阶段下大气污染物的分布特征产生不同的影响,COVID-19期间PM_2.5在干净、发生和消散阶段的浓度比COVID-19前有所提高,但是发展阶段明显降低,居家隔离明显使PM_2.5高值降低了;NO₂、SO<...     

新冠肺炎疫情防控对环境与健康工作的若干启示

新冠肺炎疫情发生以来,全国上下万众一心,采取了一系列防控举措,坚决遏制疫情蔓延扩散,取得了积极成效。保障公众健康是生态环境保护的根本目的,环境与健康工作作为公共卫生管理的重要内容之一,在很多方面同疫情防控工作具有共性,我们需要从本次疫情防控工作中汲取经验和教训,提高应对环境与健康问题的能力和水平。本文分析了开展环境与健康工作的重要意义,梳理总结了环境与健康工作应在此次疫情防控工作中借鉴的宝贵经验,并有针对性地提出了下一步加强环境与健康工作的几点建议。     

Mechanisms and evidence of vertical transmission of infections in pregnancy including SARS-CoV-2s

There remain unanswered questions concerning mother-to-child-transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Despite reports of neonatal COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 has not been consistently isolated in perinatal samples, thus definitive proof of transplacental infection is still lacking. To address these questions, we assessed investigative tools used to confirm maternal-fetal infection and known protective mechanisms of the placental barrier that prevent transplacental pathogen migration. Forty studies of COVID-19 pregnancies reviewed suggest a lack of consensus on diagnostic strategy for congenital infection. Although real-time polymerase chain reaction of neonatal swabs was universally performed, a wide range of clinical samples was screened including vaginal secretions (22.5%), amniotic fluid (35%), breast milk (22.5%) and umbilical cord blood. Neonatal COVID-19 was reported in eight studies, two of which were based on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 IgM in neonatal blood. Histological examination demonstrated sparse viral particles, vascular malperfusion and inflammation in the placenta from pregnant women with COVID-19. The paucity of placental co-expression of ACE-2 and TMPRSS2, two receptors involved in cytoplasmic entry of SARS-CoV-2, may explain its relative insensitivity to transplacental infection. Viral interactions may utilise membrane receptors other than ACE-2 thus, tissue susceptibility may be broader than currently known. Further spatial-temporal studies are needed to determine the true potential for transplacental migration.     

Environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater systems and related environments in Wuhan: April to May of 2020

Wastewater-based epidemiology(WBE) has emerged as an effective environmental surveillance tool in monitoring fecal-oral pathogen infections within a community. Congruently, SARS-Co V-2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19, has been demonstrated to infect the gastrointestinal tissues, and be shed in feces. In the present study, SARS-Co V-2 RNA was concentrated from wastewater, sludge, surface water, ground water, sediment, and soil samples of municipal and hospital wastewater systems and related envi...     

Significant concurrent decrease in PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations in China during COVID-19 epidemic

The strict control measures and social lockdowns initiated to combat COVID-19 epidemic have had a notable impact on air pollutant concentrations. According to observation data obtained from the China National Environmental Monitoring Center, compared to levels in 2019, the average concentration of NO₂ in early 2020 during COVID-19 epidemic has decreased by 53%, 50%, and 30% in Wuhan city, Hubei Province (Wuhan excluded), and China (Hubei excluded), respectively. Simultaneously, PM_2.5 concentration has decreased by 35%, 29%, and 19% in Wuhan, Hubei (Wuhan excluded), and China (Hubei excluded), respectively. Less significant declines have also been found for SO₂ and CO concentrations. We also analyzed the temporal variation and spatial distribution of air pollutant concentrations in China during COVID-19 epidemic. The decreases in PM_2.5 and NO₂ concentrations showed relatively consistent temporal variation and spatial distribution. These results support control of NO_x to further reduce PM_2.5 pollution in China. The concurrent decrease in NO_x and PM_2.5 concentrations resulted in an increase of O₃ concentrations across China during COVID-19 epidemic, indicating that coordinated control of other pollutants is needed.     

历史传染病疫情的环境与气候特征初探及对新冠肺炎疫情的思考

新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情的暴发与流行对人类社会安全造成严重危害,同时也考验着世界各国公共卫生系统应对大型突发性传染病的防控能力.对历史传染病疫情暴发和流行的环境与气候特征进行总结,对于新冠肺炎疫情的科学研究及防控具有重要的参考价值.结果表明:①历史上人际传播的冠状病毒科、正粘病毒科传染病多暴发于北半球亚热带季风气候地区及冬春季节,而黄病毒科传染病多暴发在热带地区及高温多雨的夏秋季节.②全球变暖和极端天气催生影响传染病的暴发及传播.③人类对生态系统平衡的影响,迫使病毒宿主栖息地迁移和不同病毒宿主聚集,增加病毒变异概率和传染病暴发风险.在此基础上,提出了对新冠肺炎疫情的思考,认为适宜的气候因素可能利于疫情的暴发与流行,而热带国家疫情的暴发则说明需要重新审视气候、环境条件及生态因素对新型冠状病毒的影响.研究结果将为新冠肺炎疫情的防控和未来传染病疫情的预测及阻断提供参考和借鉴.      

污水新型冠状病毒监测研究进展及启示

新冠肺炎疫情暴发以来,全球多个国家和地区频繁在污水中检测出新型冠状病毒核酸. 开展基于污水流行病学的污水新型冠状病毒监测,可作为人群新冠肺炎监测的重要补充,获得的核酸浓度数据和序列突变分析结果,可为新冠肺炎疫情早期预警、早期发现无症状感染者、评估感染规模、监测人群流行趋势、开展病毒溯源调查、制定防控政策等提供科学依据. 鉴于此,本文系统介绍了国内外污水中新型冠状病毒的来源及影响病毒存活的主要因素,归纳了常用的污水新型冠状病毒富集浓缩和核酸检测方法,概括了全球已开展的监测项目、进展及现存科学问题,指出了现有研究的局限性,包括缺乏污水中新型冠状病毒的分布特征及感染性研究、预测预警模型开发与应用不足等. 为我国下一阶段新冠肺炎疫情或者未来可能出现的突发重大疫情的精准防控提供借鉴与参考,提升我国应对传染病及非传染病的预测预警、流行规模评估及精准施策的能力.      

甲型流感的流行与防控分析及其对新冠肺炎疫情的启示

目前新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）疫情在全球流行,对人类生命健康造成威胁.对甲型流感这一常见传染病进行流行特征、影响因素和防控措施分析,回顾总结全球为防控甲型流感做出的努力及相关科学研究成果,为新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情提供防控经验和研究思路.结果表明:①甲型流感呈季节性流行,受气候、社会、政治和文化等多因素影响,在低温低湿、人口密集的环境中表现出强流行性.②甲型流感防控研究工作主要包括季节性流感病毒监测、流感病毒的生态学研究、广谱中和抗体及通用疫苗的研究、应对流感大流行的病原学风险评估四方面,其中季节性流感病毒监测是制定公共卫生政策及后续研究的核心防控措施.③与甲型流感类似,新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情流行受温度等气候因素影响,同时社会、政治、文化等因素也影响其传播,亟需借鉴较成熟的甲型流感的防控经验、技术和平台.建议在加强病毒监测的同时,深入开展病毒生态学研究、病原学风险评估和药物开发,对完善疫情防控工作和预警预测未来可能出现的二次暴发及传播至关重要.研究结果将为新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情和未来传染病疫情的防控及预测预警提供参考和研究思路.      

新冠肺炎疫情期间我国人群交通出行行为分析

为了解我国新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情期间人群出行频次及交通方式,调查收集了2020年2月25日—3月14日我国31个省（自治区、直辖市）8 330名居民疫情期间的出行频次及交通方式等信息,并分析了其影响因素;对我国31个省（自治区、直辖市）按疫情严重程度进行等级划分,分析不同疫情等级下人群交通出行方式的差异,并与非疫情期间进行对比.结果表明:①新冠肺炎疫情期间调查人群中有75.1%的人有出行行为,其中,5.5%的人一天多次外出,17.6%的人每周出行频次不到一次.出行过程中乘坐公共交通和出租车这两类感染风险较高的交通工具的人数占比分别为6.3%和4.0%.②新冠肺炎疫情期间,我国居民的出行频次和交通方式可能受性别、年龄、城乡、片区等人口统计学变量以及当地或附近疑似/确诊病例情况的影响,还可能与所在省份疫情严重程度有关.西藏自治区、青海省等地区人群出行频次及交通方式受疫情影响变化相对较小,湖北省居民出行频次及交通方式与非疫情期间相比变化最大.③新冠肺炎疫情期间,我国成人居民选择步行和小轿车（出租车和私家车）出行的人数占比远高于非疫情期间,而选择公共交通和自行车或电动车等交通方式的人数占比与非疫情期间相比有所降低.研究发现,新冠肺炎疫情极大地改变了我国人群出行频次及交通方式.      

城市自然与社会环境对新型冠状病毒肺炎发病率的影响

在城市尺度上探究了 2020年1月1日～3月5日期间城市规模、医疗资源水平等城市自然与社会经济因素对新冠肺炎人群发病率的影响.基于多种传统统计模型与机器学习方法识别了新冠肺炎发病率的关键影响因子.基于新兴的可解释机器学习框架,探究了发病率与关键影响因子之间的非线性联系.结果表明:城市新冠肺炎发病率受到人口迁入、城市规模...     

我国城市新冠肺炎发病率的地理分布格局:人口迁徙与社会经济因素的影响

新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情的暴发使我国城市系统面临严峻挑战.认识城市尺度新冠肺炎发病率的地理空间分布格局及影响因素,可以为面向公共卫生安全的城市发展提供参考.以我国282个城市作为基本研究单元,通过地理加权回归模型,探究了2020年1月1日—3月5日我国城市人口迁徙与社会经济因素对新冠肺炎发病率的影响.结果表明:①地理加权回归模型的解释力（整体R2=0.40）显著高于传统的普通最小二乘法线性回归模型（整体R2=0.02）.②武汉迁入率较大地增加了武汉周边城市的新冠肺炎发病率,该效应随着与武汉地理距离的增加呈现空间衰减特征,东北和西南部分地区除外.③高人均地区生产总值在东南经济较发达地区对新冠肺炎发病率的控制起到了重要作用.④人均绿地面积和人均医务人员数量指标的提升仅在全国少部分地区显示出积极作用,其中不包括武汉周边城市.相反,人均公共财政支出对于武汉周边地区新冠肺炎发病率的控制起到了重要作用.研究显示,我国城市的新冠肺炎发病率及其与人口迁徙/城市社会经济指标的关系具有明显的空间依赖模式,其中来自武汉的人口流入、公共财政支出和绿化水平的影响均呈现一定的空间衰减特征,而经济发展水平的影响则呈现地域性依赖特征.      

我国医疗废物应急处置体系构建思路

自2003年的“非典”疫情以来,我国医疗废物处置从单一简易焚烧转变为多种形式的统筹应用,医疗废物应急处置在管理和技术方面均取得了显著进展.新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情期间,尽管面临更为复杂的医疗废物风险防控形势,但在医疗废物集中处置设施、危险废物焚烧设施、生活垃圾焚烧设施、水泥窑设施、移动式医疗废物处置设施、医疗机构自备处置设施等不同类型处置设施的共同作用下,我国仍然实现了全部医疗废物的安全处置.然而,新冠肺炎疫情暴发初期较为被动的医疗废物应急处置响应方式暴露出我国医疗废物应急处置能力较为薄弱的现状,存在顶层设计缺乏、应急储备不足、技术支撑欠缺等突出问题.借鉴国内外相关经验,针对存在的问题,提出建立医疗废物应急处置体系的建议:①充分衔接突发公共卫生事件应急管理体系,开展医疗废物应急处置制度设计;②科学制定并实施医疗废物处置设施建设规划,统筹考虑应急处置能力配置;③评估新冠肺炎疫情期间医疗废物应急处置形式,总结合理技术路线;④推进应急物资储备、处置队伍和专家队伍建设等能力建设,提升应急响应速度.      

Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in the Wastewater and Rivers of Tapachula,a Migratory Hub in Southern Mexico

Food and Environmental Virology - The COVID-19 pandemic has been monitored by applying different strategies, including SARS-CoV-2 detection with clinical testing or through wastewater-based...     

新冠肺炎疫情下武汉市医废处置及应急管理的思考

医疗废物是引起疾病传播或相关公共卫生问题的重要危险性因素,在没有爆发大型公共卫生安全事件时,医疗废物处置行业存在的问题未得到应有重视。针对本次新冠肺炎引发的医疗废物无害化处理、抵御突发性公共卫生事件的能力等一系列关注点,以武汉市医疗废物处置现状为例,分析了医疗废物的分类以及适用性对策,结合新冠肺炎疫情评估了武汉市后备医疗废物处置能力,梳理了武汉市医疗废物在管理、处置、转运方面的问题,并建议武汉市医废管理应加强管理体系建设、规划引导以及实施监管。