Evaluation of environmental impacts of the Covid-19 on the Iran an updated review

Document Type : Original Research Article

Author

Department of Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The COVID-19 started from Wuhan, China by the end of 2019 and spread rapidly around the world. Since December 2019, COVID-19 disease has spread rapidly in all regions of the world, from cold and dry to hot and humid climates. The virus resulted in about 4.2 million infections and 280,000 deaths around the world (as of 10th May, 2020). But it has resulted in about 154.4 million infections and 3.3 million deaths around the world (as of 10th May, 2021). It means that infection cases have grown about 37 time and death cases about 12 times during the said interval. The virus resulted about 108,000 infections and 6,700 deaths in Iran (as of 10th May, 2020). But it has grown to about 2.6 million infections and about 73,300 deaths one year later (as of 10th May, 2021). It means that infection cases in Iran are about 24 times and death cases are about 11 times as compared to the global data. The ratios are relatively not far from to average data in the other parts of the world. The world has not experienced such catastrophic phenomena after World War I (1914-1918). The catastrophe is affecting not only our health, economy, culture and life style but also our environment. After one year, ideas about role of this crisis in ecosystem and environment are quite different. Optimists believe that this crisis is the best opportunity to reduce pressure on natural resources and provides time for self-reconstruction of the ecosystems and environment. The most positive impacts of this crisis are reduced pressure on natural resources, decrease in air pollution and climate change, deeper understanding of the ecosystems and environment saving. The significant negative impacts of the COVID-19 are human infection, economic losses, increase in household consumption, medicine, face masks, medical gloves, challenge for burial of household and medical waste, reduction in environmental diplomacy, reduction in accuracy of weather forecasts and treat for wildlife infection. Several impacts have been reported on the human and natural environment of Iran. The impacts on the ecosystems and environment of Iran are similar to that reported in other parts of the world.

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