July-20 Around the World
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in Uncategorized
UK
COVID-19 is more deadly for some ethnic groups
Racial dynamics
A wide disparity in COVID-19 related illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups vis-à-vis the native whites has been revealed through a data analysis by the National Health Service. Data of patients who died in hospitals in England and tested positive for COVID-19 was studied and evidence was found that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people have 2 to 3 times increased risk of death from COVID-19.
Experts believe that the main reason for this could be barriers to accessing healthcare as well as underlying social and economic risk factors. Many from these communities already struggle to access healthcare and are more likely to have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases, making them more susceptible to COVID-19. The analysis was published by Wellcome Open Research.
Access to healthcare
Netherlands
Men more vulnerable to COVID-19 than women
Gender bias
A study of several thousand patients published in European Heart Journal, has explained why men are more vulnerable to COVID-19 compared to women. It was found that men have a higher concentration of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), that enables the Coronavirus to infect healthy cells.
The study involving over 3,500 men and women in two sets, also found that patients suffering from heart condition who take drugs targeting the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, did not have higher concentrations of ACE2 in their blood.
The stronger sex
