Abstract
Since the year 2000, eight major disease outbreaks, including COVID-19 involving zoonosis of viruses, have occurred. Increasing population density, high mobility and economic activity make cities hotspots for the spread of infectious diseases. COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerability of nations regardless of the development index. This paper reviews and analyses the literature on the effect of population density on the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 since the outbreak of COVID-19. Literature reveals that 7 months into COVID-19, 95% of the infections came from urban centres around the world (Mizutori and Sharif, OPINION: COVID-19 demonstrates urgent need for cities to prepare for pandemics. UN-Habitat. https://news.trust.org/item/20200615120207-y321f, 2020). This could be because of a skewed economic model in which 55% of the world’s population resides in cities which occupy 1–3% of the landmass while concentrating 85% of the world’s economic activity. Cities are a constant magnet for huge numbers of people, making the chances of spreading disease relatively high. Current studies reveal a significant correlation between population density and the number of infections. The paper recommends a health reform plan centred on decongesting cities and a systematic reorganisation of settlement patterns, recognising efficient social distancing to limit illicit human-wildlife interactions. This should ensure less vulnerability to disease pathogens while guaranteeing environmental, food security, and good health for all.
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Nyambiya, I., Sawunyama , L. (2023). Decongesting Global Cities as Part of Health Reform in the Era of COVID-19: Impacts and Implications for Zimbabwe. In: Chapungu, L., Chikodzi, D., Dube, K. (eds) The COVID-19 - Health Systems Nexus. Global Perspectives on Health Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21602-2_9
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