Letter to the Editor Re:(In) visible impact of inadequate WaSH Provision on COVID-19 incidences can be not be ignored in large and megacities of India The number of coronavirus cases in India has crossed the 82,000-mark on May 15, 2020. 1 As on May 15, 2020, there are 51,401 active COVID-19 cases in the country, 27,919 patients have been cured or discharged, whereas 2649 people have died from this deadly disease. The geographic distribution of COVID-19epositive cases is not uniform in India and 10 big cities account for more than 52% of the total reported cases with Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmadabad, Chennai, and Pune are most affected 2 indicates a spatial clustering of the disease. Recent studies have shown multiple environmental factors such as temperature 3,4,5,6,7 , humidity 8,9,10 , air pollution 11 and smoking 12 determine the severity and rate of spread of COVID-19. Poor availability and accessibility of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) may increase the risk of COVID-19 spread by affecting the survival and transmission of the virus in a variety of ways. Higher incidences of certain infectious diseases, such as diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis 13 reported in poor WaSH conditions. Poor status of WaSH is also associated with stunted growth, impaired cognitive and mental development, especially among children. 14 Surprisingly, no study has made yet that aimed to provide scientific evidence about the provision of WaSH services and incidence of COVID-19. WaSH are essential components of human health. 15 Hence, universal, sustainable, and equitable provisions of WaSH services by 2030 stand for the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6. In the Indian context, despite several policies and programme interventions
