Experts: Air pollution 'likely' to cut Covid-19 survival

A health officer operating a remote controlled disinfection robot to disinfect a residental area amid the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Monday (March 16). Experts say that cleaner air is good to bring down the effects of the virus. - AFP

BEIJING/PARIS: Air pollution from petrol and diesel vehicles is likely to increase mortality from the novel coronavirus in cities, public health experts told to media on Monday (March 16).

The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) warned that dirty air in urban areas that causes hypertension, diabetes and other respiratory illness could lead to a higher overall death toll from the virus currently sweeping the world.