Change of Mortality Patterns of Respiratory Diseases during the Spread of the Pandemic of COVID-19: An Applied Geographical Study in Assiut Governorate, Egypt

 
Respiratory diseases are among the main causes of mortality, morbidity and hospitalization. They can be attributed to many environmental, economical, social and behavioral factors. Their seasonality varies according to climate change. Their map of distribution as well as their numbers has varied both spatially and temporally as respiratory syndrome known as Covid-19 spread.The latter is the hugest challenge that quickens the spread of respiratory diseases all over the world. It spreads speedily in many countries since the announcement about the first case in China in December 2019. The disease is declared as pandemic in March 2020. Egypt has announced the first case of infection of Covid-19 and the first case of mortality of the same disease on 14 February 2020 and on 8 March 2020 respectively.
The current research aims at analyzing time and place variances as well as the demographic differences of the numbers of mortality of respiratory diseases in Assiut governorate. It also studies their patterns of change describing the possible reasons behind them. This assists in assigning the rate of mortality and its rise, which is possibly related to the spread of Covid-19. Increase of mortalities could be due to cases that were not checked to be recognized as either infected of Covid-19 or not. The current study is a descriptive analytical one among many other researches and studies in varied fields that attempt to find means of facing Covid-19 which shares in changing the map of mortality of respiratory diseases.
 Knowing the geographical distribution and mortality rates of respiratory diseases as well as their change whether according to place or season contributes to recognizing the spatial foci of these diseases. That helps in preparing for facing their different influences. Measuring the dynamic of mortality of respiratory diseases eases the interaction between the strategies of health care units and the changed trends. That allows the first to handle the increased rates of infection or even their decrease. Drawing maps of distribution of respiratory diseases in general and Covid-19 in particular is essential for supporting the exerted efforts working on raising the awareness of the population. They also facilitate the process of monitoring done by the responsible entities, and direct the departments of quarantine at the hospitals of the governorate and the medical centers to take needed precautions according to the map of mortality of respiratory diseases in the governorate.