The number of deaths in connection with the corona virus has cracked the 10,000 mark in Germany.
The cardiologist Thomas Münzel sees air pollution as an important factor.
The
second wave * of
the
coronavirus pandemic *
causes more than 10,000 deaths in
Germany
.
Cardiologist
Thomas Münzel
sees a connection between
Covid-19 deaths
and
air pollution
.
A
reduced air pollution
would in the fight against the
coronavirus *
help.
Mainz - The
second wave of
the
coronavirus pandemic
has finally
arrived
in
Germany
.
On Tuesday, the
Robert Koch Institute (RKI) * reported
more than 11,000 new infections within one day.
In addition, the number of
deaths
related to
Covid-19
has increased by 42 compared to the previous day.
According to the RKI, the number of
corona deaths
in Germany since the beginning of the pandemic has totaled
10,098
.
Cardiologist
Thomas Münzel
and his colleagues discovered a connection between
air pollution
and
Covid-19 deaths
in a study
.
Corona: Link between air pollution and Covid-19 deaths
Münzel
is a doctor and heads the
Center for Cardiology I at
the
University
Medical
Center
in
Mainz
.
He researches the effects of
air pollution
and noise on the human body.
In a conversation with
Der Spiegel
, the
cardiologist
spoke
about the connection between
fine dust particles
in the air and
deaths
in connection with the
coronavirus *
.
The 65-year-old doctor said that there were
suspicions
that
fine dust could
also
cause
the novel
coronavirus *
can transport.
"The RNA of
Sars-CoV-2
could in any case be detected in fine dust samples from northern Italy," reported
Münzel
.
Northern Italy
was
one of the hardest hit areas in the world
during the first wave of the
corona pandemic
.
The cardiologist added: "And we have just
published a study
in the journal
Cardiovascular Research
that suggests that
around 15 percent of Covid-19 deaths are due to air pollution
."
Coronavirus: Air pollution makes people more vulnerable
The
researchers
know the exact reason for this
*
not yet, explained
Münzel
.
The doctor speculated: "But it could be because both
fine dust
and the virus
attack
the
endothelium
, i.e. the lining of the blood vessels,
and cause inflammation." If a long exposure to
air pollution
and an
infection
with the
coronavirus come
together, this results , an "additively harmful health effect, with a greater susceptibility to Covid-19," said
Münzel
.
The cardiologist therefore confirmed that
lower air pollution
would help
in the fight against
Covid-19
.
However,
fine dust is
also
a killer
regardless of the
corona
virus.
"According to the calculations of my colleague Jos Lelieveld from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, around
8.8 million
premature deaths are caused by fine dust
every year
," reported
Münzel
.
That is more deaths than from smoking with 7.2 million.
"Air pollution accounts for around 15 percent of Covid-19 deaths."
There are so many fundamental rights
restrictions
to prevent corona deaths.
It is all the more important that car companies comply with the laws on air pollution control.
https://t.co/vrrPa0P7Ln
- Michael Bloss (@micha_bloss) October 27, 2020
Münzel explains the risk from particulate matter pollution - wearing a face mask helps
In order
to reduce the risk of
particulate matter
for individuals, the cardiologist suggested using
apps
that show how high the level of
particulate matter in
the outside air is.
Wearing
mouth and nose protection would also
help.
For the ultra-fine dust you need an FFP2 mask.
"But in the end it is politicians who have to do something: set limits," warned
Münzel
.
As a side effect of the
corona pandemic
,
air pollution has
decreased massively in many places around the world.
In the eyes of the doctor, this is due to the fact that one
reacted more quickly
to
Covid-19
.
The virus kills immediately.
“
Fine dust,
on the other hand, kills more slowly, more in secret.
So far we have more or less accepted the particulate matter deaths, ”said
Münzel in
conclusion.
(ph) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital editorial network
List of rubric lists: © picture alliance / Partha Sarkar / XinHua / dpa