The impact of air pollution on the spatial distribution of Covid-19 across Bulgaria: a study using satellite and in situ data

As a respiratory disease, the epidemiological spread of Covid-19 may be influenced by atmospheric pollutants, particularly fine particulate matter. The aim of the present study is to examine the impact of air pollution on the spatial distribution of Covid-19. In this context, we utilize satellite data from the GOME-2 (onboard of Metop satellites series) and TROPOMI (onboard of Sentinel-5P) instruments, along with ground-based measurements, covering the period from June 2020 to July 2024, to construct the spatial distribution of particulate matter pollution over Bulgaria. Another significant atmospheric pollutant relevant to the Bulgarian context is NO₂. Using satellite data from the TROPOMI instrument, we develop the spatial distribution of NO₂. We analyze daily in situ data on the spread of Covid-19 across the 28 municipalities in Bulgaria in its correlation with the atmospheric pollutants. In this study, we present an assessment of the impact of the averaged pollution profile on the overall distribution of Covid-19 cases in the country.