Rising temperatures will not curb Covid-19: expert

“If high temperatures had stemmed the virus completely, we should not have seen cases in Saudi Arabia or Africa,” he said. (Pexels photo)

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey – Hotter temperatures will not help slow the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), according to an expert.

“If you maintain social distance and wear a mask, the infection rate of the disease may decrease, but the temperature alone does not work,” Recep Tekin, an expert in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology at the Dicle University in southeastern Turkey, told Anadolu Agency.

Pointing to the hot Mediterranean climate in southern Turkey, Tekin highlighted that the number of cases there has risen recently despite the high temperatures.

“If high temperatures had stemmed the virus completely, we should not have seen cases in Saudi Arabia or Africa,” he said.

Noting there would be hotter days in the coming weeks, he said people should not behave by relying on this but wear a mask, practice social distancing, and observe hand hygiene, regardless of the temperature.

As of Wednesday, Turkey had registered a total of 5,282 deaths due to Covid-19, while more than 187,511 people have recovered from the disease.

Currently, there are more than 208,938 confirmed cases in the country.

Since originating in Wuhan, China last December, the pandemic has claimed more than 551,000 lives in 188 countries and regions.

More than 12.1 million cases have been reported worldwide, while more than 6.65 million people have recovered, according to figures compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University. (Anadolu)