Assessing the Effect of Rainfall on COVID-19 Transmission in Selangor, Malaysia

• Published in: Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Main Author: Mokhtar M.A.M.; Dom N.C.; Mohd Nor M.I.; Abdullah S.; Precha N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2023
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85180611725&partnerID=40&md5=6440182089c3aac9f802b59826880dc3

Introduction: Growing concern about transmission of COVID-19 in Malaysia has reached new heights, particularly with the recent increase in cases in the Selangor region. In order to shed light on this matter, and in particular to investigate the possible influence of rainfall on the transmission of COVID-19, a comprehensive study was conducted in Selangor, the epicenter of most reported cases. Methods: Data for the study were sourced from two primary entities: the Ministry of Health and the Malaysian Meteorological Service. COVID-19 case data encompassing the nine main administrative districts in Selangor. While rainfall data encompassed information on the number of rainy days and the amount of rainfall. The Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the strength and direction of the correlation between the variables of the COVID -19 cases and the amount of precipitation. Results: Analysis revealed a weak correlation between rainfall and COVID-19 cases in Selangor, with no significant correlation found in hotspot or coldspot areas. In hotspot areas, rainy days showed a weak negative correlation (r=-0.131), indicating a slight decrease in COVID -19 cases with increasing number of rainy days. Similarly, rainfall amount had a very weak positive correlation (r=0.046), indicating a minimal increase in COVID-19 cases with more rainfall. In the cold areas, both rainy days and precipitation had a weak negative correlation (r=-0.123 and r=-0.159, respectively), indicating a slight decrease in COVID-19 cases with increasing precipitation. However, these correlations were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Understanding the role of weather in disease transmission can also impact risk perception among the public. Future research can explore how weather-related information is communicated to the public and how it may affect individuals’ behavior during a pandemic. © 2023 UPM Press. All rights reserved.