Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the interplay between environmental factors and virus spread is crucial for global preparedness strategies. This study explores how geographic latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status were associated with the incidence and fatality rates o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
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| Series: | PLOS Global Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004074 |
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| author | Reagan M Mogire |
| author_facet | Reagan M Mogire |
| author_sort | Reagan M Mogire |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the interplay between environmental factors and virus spread is crucial for global preparedness strategies. This study explores how geographic latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status were associated with the incidence and fatality rates of COVID-19 across 187 countries during the crucial early months of the outbreak. Data on the total number of COVID-19 cases by country were obtained from the COVID-19 Data Repository by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) as of June 30, 2020. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between COVID-19 cases and latitude, average hours of sunshine from January to June, and mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels. The average COVID-19 cumulative incidence and mortality per million population were 2,087 and 69, respectively, with a case fatality rate of 3.19%. COVID-19 case fatality rate was positively associated with latitude (β = 0.030; 95% CI: 0.008, 0.052) and negatively associated with hours of sunshine (β = -1.51; 95% CI: -4.44, 1.41) and 25(OH)D levels (β = -0.054; 95% CI: -0.089, -0.019) in adjusted linear regression analyses. Findings were similar for COVID-19 cumulative incidence and mortality rate. These findings indicate that higher latitude and lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with increased COVID-19 severity and mortality. While the data highlight potential links between vitamin D status and COVID-19 outcomes, causality cannot be inferred. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b734888b4dd24d5da2eba736083265df |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2767-3375 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLOS Global Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-b734888b4dd24d5da2eba736083265df2025-08-20T02:49:29ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752025-01-0157e000407410.1371/journal.pgph.0004074Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries.Reagan M MogireIn the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the interplay between environmental factors and virus spread is crucial for global preparedness strategies. This study explores how geographic latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status were associated with the incidence and fatality rates of COVID-19 across 187 countries during the crucial early months of the outbreak. Data on the total number of COVID-19 cases by country were obtained from the COVID-19 Data Repository by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) as of June 30, 2020. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between COVID-19 cases and latitude, average hours of sunshine from January to June, and mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels. The average COVID-19 cumulative incidence and mortality per million population were 2,087 and 69, respectively, with a case fatality rate of 3.19%. COVID-19 case fatality rate was positively associated with latitude (β = 0.030; 95% CI: 0.008, 0.052) and negatively associated with hours of sunshine (β = -1.51; 95% CI: -4.44, 1.41) and 25(OH)D levels (β = -0.054; 95% CI: -0.089, -0.019) in adjusted linear regression analyses. Findings were similar for COVID-19 cumulative incidence and mortality rate. These findings indicate that higher latitude and lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with increased COVID-19 severity and mortality. While the data highlight potential links between vitamin D status and COVID-19 outcomes, causality cannot be inferred.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004074 |
| spellingShingle | Reagan M Mogire Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries. PLOS Global Public Health |
| title | Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries. |
| title_full | Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries. |
| title_fullStr | Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries. |
| title_short | Early pandemic associations of latitude, sunshine duration, and vitamin D status with COVID-19 incidence and fatalities: A global analysis of 187 Countries. |
| title_sort | early pandemic associations of latitude sunshine duration and vitamin d status with covid 19 incidence and fatalities a global analysis of 187 countries |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004074 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT reaganmmogire earlypandemicassociationsoflatitudesunshinedurationandvitamindstatuswithcovid19incidenceandfatalitiesaglobalanalysisof187countries |