Covid-19: Yadgir may have copper-mediated immunity, says study

Does Yadgir population have copper-mediated intrinsic immunity against Covid-19? A peer-reviewed medical hypothesis suggests so.

The hypothesis was published in the Medical Hypotheses Journal on November 9 by researchers at College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia; Queen Alexandra Hospital, UK, and Covid Consultative Group at Bengaluru’s HCG Centre for Academic Research. The research findings say that the Yadgir population may have mainly acquired immunity against Covid-19 through the consumption of copper-contaminated groundwater.

The researchers observe in their hypothesis that ‘according to the state Covid-19 War Room report, the recovery rate of the infected patients in Yadgir is 87.8%’. However, the neighbouring Kalaburagi, a well-developed district compared to Yadgir, has shown a recovery rate of 64%. Out of 1,553 positive cases in Yadgir district, as many as 1,363 patients (87.8%) have recovered’.

“Though numerous variables could conceivably be attributed to this population-specific immunity towards Covid-19, a key factor worth deliberation is the copper-mediated immunity of the Yadgir population mainly acquired through the consumption of contaminated groundwater,” the write-up in the journal observes.

“Recently, it was hypothesized that copper supplementation can help combat Covid-19 and dietary or therapeutic copper supplementation might enhance host immunity and other micro-nutrient metabolism preventing viral infection severity,” the researchers wrote in their hypothesis.

However, officials from Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, Yadgir Division, told DH, though as per the GoI’s Jal Jeevan Mission’s mandate, drinking water samples of all 125 villages in the district are checked for 13 basic parameters everyday, checking of copper content is not done, as they do not have the equipment required to
do so.

Dr Gururaj Arakeri, one of the co-authors of the hypothesis, from HCG Centre for Academic Research said, “I have done quite an extensive study of many patients in Yadgir suffering from oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF is a chronic debilitating disease of the oral cavity characterised by inflammation, marked rigidity and an eventual inability to open the mouth). The mean concentration of copper in the home drinking water of patients with OSMF was significantly higher than in the control group of the study.”

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has set a goal for copper at a maximum allowable level of 1.3 mg per liter of drinking water, to protect against short-term gastrointestinal tract problems.

Venkateshwar Rao, senior analyst with Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, Yadgir Division, told DH, “We do not have the equipment to test copper content. But everyday, in 125 villages, 30 samples per panchayat are tested for 13 basic parameters.”

Dr Indumati Kamshetty, District Health Officer, Yadgir, said, “The health department also tests water samples but only for microbes. We need to look into copper contamination of
groundwater.”