Corona deaths in Germany: the cardiologist discovers an extraordinary link

Mainz – The second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic is definitely in Germany arrived. Reported this Tuesday Robert Koch Institute (RKI) * again more than 11,000 new infections in one day. Furthermore, the number of Deceased in connection with COVID-19 increased by 42 compared to the previous day.

According to the RKI, the number of Corona-Toten in Germany since the start of the pandemic as a whole 10,098. The cardiologist Thomas Münzel and his colleagues in one study found a connection between the Air pollution is Deaths from covid-19 discovered.

Corona: link between air pollution and deaths from Covid-19

Münzel is a doctor and directs it Center of Cardiology I of the University medicine in Mainz. Research the effects of Air pollution and noise on the human body. In a conversation with the Spiegel said the Cardiologist among other things about the connection between Fine dust particles in the air e Deceased in connection with Coronavirus *.

The 65-year-old medical professional said there was hypothesisthat particulate matter even the novel Coronavirus * can carry. “The RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in any case it could be detected in fine dust samples from northern Italy, ”he said Münzel. Northern Italy it was during the first wave of Corona-Pandemics one of the hardest hit areas in the world. The cardiologist added: “And we just got the diary Cardiovascular research has published a study suggesting it air pollution accounts for around 15 percent of Covid 19 deaths. “

Coronavirus: Air pollution makes people more vulnerable

They know the exact reason for this Researcher * not yet declared Münzel. The doctor speculated: “But it could be because both particulate matter as well as the virus that Endothelium, i.e. the lining of the blood vessels, respectively attack and cause inflammation. ”Coming through a long exposure Air pollution it’s at infection with the Coronavirus together, this creates an “additive health effect, with increased susceptibility to Covid-19,” he said Münzel.

The cardiologist then confirmed that less air pollution in the fight against COVID-19 would help. Anyway particulate matter even regardless of Coronavirus a killer. “According to the calculations of my colleague Jos Lelieveld of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, approximately every year 8.8 million premature deaths are due to particulate matter, ”he said Münzel. This is more deaths than from smoking with 7.2 million.

Münzel explains the risk of particulate pollution: wearing mouth and nose protection helps

To such Particulate risk In order for the individual to decrease, the cardiologist suggested the use of App before that it shows how high the Particulate pollution the outside air is. Also, wear Mouth and nose protection Help. An FFP2 mask is required for ultrafine powder. “But in the end it is the politicians who have to do something: set limits,” he warned Münzel.

As a side effect of Corona-Pandemics and the Air pollution it has decreased massively in many places around the world. In the eyes of the doctor, this is because one is on COVID-19 reacted faster. The virus kills immediately. “particulate matter on the other hand, it kills more slowly, more secretly. So far we have more or less accepted the particulate deaths, ”he explained Münzel finally. (ph) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital publishing network

Rubriklistenbild: © picture alliance / Partha Sarkar / XinHua / dpa