We may now be able to use elements in the air to predict surges in COVID-19 and flu cases. A new study, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, found that the monitoring of airborne fungal spores can be used as an early warning system for influxes in cases of respiratory viruses.
Researchers found that when there is an increase in the levels of fungal spores in the air, there is also an increase in cases of illnesses like COVID-19. This correlation suggests that air monitoring systems could be an effective form of public health used to warn people of rising risks of respiratory viruses.
“By monitoring the air we breathe, we may be able to better forecast and prepare for seasonal outbreaks of respiratory viral infections,” said Félix E. Rivera-Mariani, presenting study author and associate professor of Biochemistry and Special Topics in Biology at Lynn ...
