The 2020 İzmir earthquake and its effect on COVID-19 cases

• Published in: Microbiology Australia 2023-11, Vol.44 (4), p.207-211
• Main Authors: Durmaz, Seyfi, Aslan, Gönül, Durusoy, Raika, Çiçek, Candan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1324-4272; 1324-4272
• DOI: 10.1071/MA23056

On 30 October 2020, an earthquake measuring 6.9 moment magnitude occurred between Kusadasi and Samos, Türkiye, with a significant impact on buildings in the Bornova–Bayraklı district of İzmir. Immediately afterwards, a comprehensive study was commenced to investigate the relationship between the earthquake that occurred during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and case numbers at the Ege University, Faculty of Medicine’s Hospital in Bornova, İzmir. This cross-sectional study was carried out based on the records of those admitted to the university hospital with suspicion of COVID-19 in the pre-earthquake and post-earthquake periods of the pandemic. The microbiology laboratory of the hospital used reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results as a dependent variable and compared with the time, age and gender as the independent variables, classified according to the timing of the earthquake. RT-PCR test results were positive in 11.60% of the whole study group; however, tests were 6.69% positive before the earthquake and increased to 23.42% afterwards (P