Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Forensics
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Flash floods kill 2 in New Jersey, strand subway riders in NYC Chevron right
Tropical rainstorm soaks Florida, could strengthen in Gulf before targeting Louisiana Chevron right

Columbus, OH

86°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

86°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Forensics

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars
Air Quality Alert

News / Health

Spring may impact the spread of the coronavirus

By John Roach, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Feb 6, 2020 6:19 PM EDT

Copied

As the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases continues to climb, many wonder when a vaccine will be available.

Weather could play a role in the spread and also the suppression of the novel coronavirus, according to AccuWeather experts who have studied the weather’s impact on past diseases. More than 28,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed and 565 deaths have been reported as of Feb. 6. 

The United States Embassy confirmed the first American diagnosed with coronavirus in Wuhan, China, has died because of the virus.

The embassy released the following statement:

"We can confirm a 60-year old U.S. citizen diagnosed with coronavirus died at Jinyintian Hospital in Wuhan, China on February 6. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss. Out of the respect for the family's privacy, we have no further comment."

AccuWeather’s experts looked at transmission patterns of past flus and viruses such as SARS in 2003, the 1918 Spanish Flu and U.S. flu data over the last decade.

“Right now and over the next several months, because of the weak sun and the colder temperatures in the northern hemisphere, the weather may be helping to spread the virus,” AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers said. "However, based on what we’ve seen from past flus and viruses, including the SARS virus and others, there is less viral spread when the sun is strong and the temperatures are warm from May to September. It's possible the sunshine intensity, the longer daylight periods and the warmer weather could suppress the virus in the summer months.

"Still, this coronavirus may be very different – and we’re just learning about it. The possibility is this does not behave like all of the others and that it does not decline once the sun gets stronger and the temperatures increase throughout the spring and summer,” said Myers. “Instead, if it continues to compound through the entire spring and summer it may infect millions and become a pandemic."

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases continued to climb. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said the number of confirmed cases in the United States had reached 12. At least 26 other countries have reported cases. 

(Courtesy World Health Organization)

When asked by AccuWeather if seasonality could contribute to the spread of coronaviruses, Johns Hopkins professor and vice chair Dr. Andrew Pekosz said, “Respiratory coronaviruses do appear more frequently in cooler months (late fall, winter). Since we don’t know how this virus was transmitted within its natural host, it’s difficult to predict if it will have the same pattern as human respiratory coronaviruses.” 

As to whether temperature and humidity have an effect on the spread of this strain of the virus, which was first observed in December 2019, Dr. Pekosz cautioned, "We have no data on how this might affect 2019-nCoV transmission."

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

Myers agrees about the uncertainty of this particular virus. “And, of course, it is also possible that even if then it is found that the sun and warmth slows it down but does not stop it, then once we go into declining sunlight again in September and October -- like we saw with the Spanish Flu in 1918 -- it could erupt in an enormous fashion because a vaccine still may not have been developed according to the experts,” he said.

(Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

By monitoring the spread of coronavirus in areas currently experiencing summer, researchers could get an indication of what’s ahead. 

“It will be interesting to see if it does not spread as much in Australia, Africa and South America as it might in the northern hemisphere because it’s their summer there right now,” Myers noted. “There are currently cases in Australia because people have traveled from China, so it is important we observe its behavior through the spread.” 

Chart showing mortality from the 1918 influenza pandemic in the U.S. and Europe. (Courtesy of the National Museum of Health and Medicine)

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

Lauren Fox contributed to this article. 

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Weather News

Inside the grueling recovery effort after Texas’ deadly flood

Jul. 15, 2025
Severe Weather

Flash flooding swamps Northeast metro areas as extreme rain threatens ...

Jul. 15, 2025
Weather Forecasts

Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms

Jul. 15, 2025
Weather News

The Deadliest Floods in Texas History: A State at Risk

Jul. 14, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather News

Inside the grueling recovery effort after Texas’ deadly flood

8 hours ago

Weather Forecasts

Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms

4 hours ago

Hurricane

Tropical Rainstorm to drench Florida, Gulf Coast

4 hours ago

Weather News

Grand Canyon fires force closures

14 hours ago

Weather Forecasts

Flash flood dangers far from over as storms reload across US

5 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Astronomy

Noctilucent clouds shimmer in summer sky

1 day ago

Recreation

Yellowstone’s landscape shifts again with discovery of new hot pool

1 day ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

4 days ago

Weather News

Giant shoes found spark mystery around the soldiers of ancient Rome

1 day ago

Weather News

It’s not just humans – chimpanzees also like to follow trends

1 day ago

AccuWeather Health Spring may impact the spread of the coronavirus
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...