Coronavirus: Who’s getting it and how they’re faring
June 18, 2020 at 1:08 PM EDT – Updated June 18 at 3:42 PM
The latest figures confirm three groups of people – older people, minorities and those with pre-existing health conditions – are more likely to have a severe form of COVID-19 if they become infected and are at highest risk of death.
Hospitalizations are six times higher and deaths are 12 times higher among those who reported underlying conditions, the most common being heart disease, diabetes and chronic lung disease.
More states see increases in coronavirus cases
The numbers show men and women getting sick at almost the same rate, but men were slightly more likely to be hospitalized, to be admitted to the intensive care unit and to die from COVID-19 as compared to women.
The infection rate was highest among people older than 80 and lowest among children 9 and younger. It was also higher among those aged between 40 and 59 than people aged 60 to 79.
Among cases with known race and ethnicity, 33 percent were Hispanic, 22 percent were black and 1.3 percent were American Indian or Alaska native. The report notes that these groups are disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
The CDC says these preliminary findings underscore the need to build on current efforts to collect and analyze case data, especially among those with underlying health conditions.
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