Indian monsoons are the most awaited season after the scorching summers. While it brings relief from the heat, there are a lot of other things it leads to. Traffic jams, humidity, and the seasonal flu. This is why the rainy season is also known as the season of flu. From children to elderly people all get under the influence of this common or viral flu. Many studies have indicated that monsoon plays a significant role in the dynamics of contagious diseases. And after having faced the dreadful waves, the COVID-19 virus is the biggest concern in the country. Above all of these, the chances of exposure during monsoons to ultraviolet B (UVB)radiation that forms vitamin -D is also an issue that may lead to a surge in the spread of disease.

It may get a little complicated for you to understand when one factor is affected by others simultaneously. So, Let's understand the relationship between all of these.

In India, many infectious diseases are known to cause outbreaks during the rainy season, peaking just after the monsoon. This includes influenza, diarrhea, cholera, dengue, typhoid, and respiratory illnesses. This is because the presence of high moisture in the air makes it ideal for bacteria, fungi, and viruses to thrive. Humidity, mud and stagnant water become breeding homes to many harmful microorganisms which contaminate air and water. Mosquitoes also breed during this season and cause many mosquitoes-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya.

Ultraviolet- B is the part of the energy we receive from the sun, which boosts the presence of Vitamin -D in the human body. During rainy seasons when the clouds take over and people spend more time indoors, human exposure to sunlight becomes very limited which may lead to a decrease in vitamin D levels

Vitamin D helps to boost immunity and reduces the risks of infections and hence reducing the severity of the effect of the virus on the human body. A study shows that people who were severely affected by Covid-19 had vitamin D deficiency. So, an adequate amount of this vitamin D can suppress the consequences of being infected with the coronavirus.

There have been 43,518,564 infections and 525,223 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began. 4 deaths were recorded on June 12, 2022. Fortunately, the death toll is continuously decreasing and the number of people recovering from covid is very high.

When Waterborne and vector-borne diseases outbreak during this season, it was expected that covid 19 will also take a front seat and a surge in the cases can be recorded. But, there is also one other aspect of the monsoon season. People tend to go outdoors less during this period, they spend more time in-house to avoid contracting viral infections. This leads to limits on the spread of Covid 19. A decline in cases was also recorded during previous monsoons in India. The result is reduced mortality rates due to covid.

On one hand, there may be reduced vitamin D levels due to less exposure to ultraviolet-B which severs the effect of COVID 19 but, on other hand, people are staying indoors due to rains which limits the spread of the virus. So, limited exposure to sunlight is compensated by non-intentional social distancing here.We can say that there is no extreme effect of monsoon on the mortality rates due to covid-19.

It's safe to say that both monsoon and UVB have an independent negative association with the daily growth rate of COVID19 deaths in India. The diseases that spread during the rainy season also are proven to have less effect because people have developed good hygiene habits after the pandemic started. So if we keep following the guidelines and maintaining hygiene standards, a happy Monsoon is on our way!!

While life is getting back on track and people are getting their hopes high of a future without covid, somewhere a new strain of the virus keeps popping up every few months and we never know what may cause a corona breakout in the country all over again. So, it's better to take precautions whenever necessary and follow guidelines issued by the government according to the situation.

An investigation from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay found that monsoon humidity can facilitate the transmission of new coronavirus.Researchers in this study looked at the lifespan of droplets coughed or sneezed out by COVID-19 patients. Here are a few things you can do to keep your prevention high:

Shantabaa Medical College and General Hospital were on the front foot to serve people during the covid waves. Our front-line warriors did best with the facilities while serving the needy, and we are prepared if the situation, unfortunately,worsens, our hearts and doors will always stay open for those affected. We wish that the worst is already bygone, and all we face now are happy and healthy days.

Seasonal fluctuations, societal norms, and virus features all play major roles in how quickly any viral infection spreads. COVID-19 is a respiratory infection that shares symptoms with the flu, and seasonal flu cases are thought to rise during the monsoon season. Flu and SARS viruses flourish in lower temperatures and humidity, according to several earlier study findings. If you feel any serious symptoms or just want to be reassured, you can always visit the Shantabaa General Hospital and take the advice of our expert doctors.