Weather of Arabia - A team of researchers at the American Harvard University found evidence that exposure to high levels of fine particle pollution found in forest fire smoke, may have led to an increase in cases of coronavirus infection, and more deaths among those who tested positive for the virus.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, concluded that nearly 20% of coronavirus cases in some counties in California and Washington states that were hit hard by wildfires last year are linked to elevated levels of wildfire smoke. The researchers also found that a higher proportion of deaths could be linked to bushfire smoke in certain counties.
Fires of the American West in 2020
In 2020, California experienced five of the six largest wildfires in recent state history. Smoke from these and dozens of other fires blanketed western states last year, releasing huge plumes of smoke that choked Oregon and Washington.
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