SEATTLE, April 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- QuoteWizard® , a LendingTree company, and one of the nation's leading online insurance marketplaces released a report on how the environment has influenced COVID-19. Poor air quality puts people at greater risk of developing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. It's likely that high-pollution areas around the country are putting people at greater risk of COVID-19. Key findings: Over 70% of COVID-19 cases and nearly 80% of all deaths have occurred in the top 20 polluting states.

A Harvard study found long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with a 15% increase in COVID-19 deaths.

study found long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with a 15% increase in COVID-19 deaths. California , Florida and Louisiana are among the biggest polluters and highest number of COVID-19 cases.

, and are among the biggest polluters and highest number of COVID-19 cases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, countries hit hardest like China , South Korea and Italy have experienced a 20% to 40% drop in air pollution.

, and have experienced a 20% to 40% drop in air pollution. Shelter-in-place orders have reduced the number of cars on the roads, and insurance companies are reducing premiums by as much as 15%. To view the full report, visit

https://quotewizard.com/news/posts/how-the-environment-has-influenced-covid-19 Biggest polluting states State Pollution Rank COVID-19 Cases COVID-19 Deaths Texas 1 9,214 177 California 2 17,625 452 Florida 3 15,456 309 Missouri 4 3,209 86 Washington 5 8,986 408 Illinois 6 13,553 380 Georgia 7 9,156 348 Ohio 8 4,782 167 Oregon 9 1,181 33 Louisiana 10 16,284 582 Alaska 11 213 6 Alabama 12 2,197 64 Pennsylvania 13 14,956 250 Indiana 14 5,943 203 Michigan 15 18,970 845 Oklahoma 16 1,474 67 Minnesota 17 1,153 39 New York 18 140,386 5,489 North Carolina 19 3,347 58 Kansas 20 928 29 Data show the trends for Tier 1 categories that distinguish pollutant emission

contributions among major source types. The trends and totals shown are for criteria

air pollutants (CAPs) and precursors covered by the National Ambient Air Quality

Standards (NAAQS), excluding lead. Methodology

QuoteWizard analyzed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Pollutant Emissions Trends Data over a period of 2013 to 2017 (latest year available) to see which states are the biggest polluters. We then paired the state's pollution figures with the most recent (April 8th) count of COVID-19 cases and deaths to find a correlation in pollution rates with COVID-19 cases. We found the top 20 polluting states accounted for over 70% of total COVID-19 cases and nearly 80% of all COVID-19 deaths. There are most certainly other factors that correlate to the number of cases and deaths from COVID-19, but preliminary data seems to indicate a strong correlation between pollution-related disease and the severity of COVID-19 About QuoteWizard QuoteWizard ( quotewizard.com ) is an insurance comparison marketplace for consumers looking to save on insurance. QuoteWizard provides consumers with direct access to thousands of qualified agents in all 50 states, as well as major carriers, who offer personalized quotes and the opportunity to save up to 40% on auto, home, health, and life insurance. Agents and carriers, in turn, benefit from millions of highly qualified leads, calls, and traffic to their site. Based in Seattle, QuoteWizard was founded in 2006. For more information, go to quotewizard.com, like our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter @quotewizard. About LendingTree LendingTree (NASDAQ: TREE) is the nation's leading online marketplace that connects consumers with the choices they need to be confident in their financial decisions. LendingTree empowers consumers to shop for financial services the same way they would shop for airline tickets or hotel stays, comparing multiple offers from a nationwide network of over 500 partners in one simple search, and can choose the option that best fits their financial needs. Services include mortgage loans, mortgage refinances, auto loans, personal loans, business loans, student refinances, credit cards and more. Through the My LendingTree platform, consumers receive free credit scores, credit monitoring, and recommendations to improve credit health. My LendingTree proactively compares consumers' credit accounts against offers on our network and notifies consumers when there is an opportunity to save money. In short, LendingTree's purpose is to help simplify financial decisions for life's meaningful moments through choice, education and support. LendingTree, LLC is a subsidiary of LendingTree, Inc. Media Contacts: Emily: Emily@quotewizardnews.com Nathan: Nathan@quotewizardnews.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/california-florida-and-louisiana-are-among-the-biggest-polluters-and-highest-number-of-covid-19-cases-301043976.html SOURCE QuoteWizard