Abstract
Previous research has identified a relationship between climate and
occurrence of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV cases, information that can be used
to reduce the risk of infection. Using COVID-19 notification and
postcode data from New South Wales, Australia during the exponential
phase of the epidemic in 2020, we used time-series analysis to
investigate the relationship between 749 cases of locally-acquired
COVID-19 and daily rainfall, 9am and 3pm temperature, and 9am and 3pm
relative humidity. Lower 9am relative humidity (but not rainfall or
temperature) was associated with increased case occurrence; a reduction
in relative humidity of 1% was predicted to be associated with an
increase of COVID-19 cases by 6.11%. During periods of low relative
humidity, the public health system should anticipate an increased number
of COVID-19 cases.