Abstract Spatial hot spots of COVID‐19 infections and fatalities are observed at places exposed to high levels of air pollution across many countries. This study empirically investigates the relationship between exposure to air pollutants that is, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter (SO 2 , NO 2 , and PM 10 ) and COVID‐19 infection at the smallest administrative level (ward) of Mumbai City in India. The paper explores two hypotheses: COVID‐19 infection is associated with air pollution; the pollutants act as determinants of COVID‐19 deaths. Kriging is used to assess the spatial variations of air quality using pollution data, while information on COVID‐19 are retrieved from the database of Mumbai municipality. Annual average of PM 10 in Mumbai over the past 3 years is much higher than the WHO specified standard across all wards; further, suburbs are more exposed to SO 2 , and NO 2 pollution. Bivariate local indicator of spatial autocorrelation finds significant positive relation between pollution and COVID‐19 infected cases in certain suburban wards. Spatial Auto Regressive models suggest that COVID‐19 death in Mumbai is distinctly associated with higher exposure to NO 2 , population density and number of waste water drains. If specific pollutants along with other factors play considerable role in COVID‐19 infection, it has strong implications for any mitigation strategy development with an objective to curtail the spreading of the respiratory disease. These findings, first of its kind in India, could prove to be significant pointers toward disease alleviation and better urban living. Key Points Significant association between COVID‐19 infection with SO 2 , NO 2 , and PM 10 reveals spatial hot spots in Mumbai With increase in NO 2 there is substantial increase in COVID‐19 deaths in Mumbai Air quality is an important element to address COVID‐19 management and sustainable urban development
【저자키워드】 COVID‐19, India, respiratory infection, Air pollution, hot spots, Spatial regression, Mumbai, 【초록키워드】 Variation, Local, database, COVID‐19, management, Respiratory disease, death, information, disease, association, fatality, deaths, determinant, Factor, sulfur dioxide, city, average, COVID‐19 infection, positive, autocorrelation, implication, Annual, increase in, the WHO, reveal, much higher, Significant, infected case, curtail, Point, retrieved, 【제목키워드】 COVID‐19, investigation, Pollution,