Images from the European Space Agency Copernicus satellite have revealed a dramatic reduction in nitrogen dioxide emissions in all major Chinese cities between 20 December 2019 and 16 March 2020.
Stricter measures were put in place in China after the outbreak of coronavirus in Hubei province in December 2019.
This resulted in factories and streets being closed as Chinese authorities attempted to stop the spread of the virus.
The drop in emissions that were released by power plants, industrial facilities and vehicles also coincided with Lunar New Year celebrations, which usually sees a similar drop in emissions each year.
The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service combined satellite observations with detailed computer models of the atmosphere to get these results.
A similar drop in pollution was seen in Italy over the same period.
The country's death toll from coronavirus overtook that of China, where the virus first emerged, yesterday, as hospitals said they were being overwhelmed and the government prepared to prolong emergency lockdown measures.
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