Trends In COVID-19

As COVID-19 continues to spread, the public continues to gain knowledge about the characteristics of this deadly disease. We can now see both which countries and which people are most affected by this virus.

On March 26, 2020, the United States of America (USA) replaced China as the leader in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases. The first documented case in the US occurred on January 21st, but cases surged in the second half of February and continued to grow throughout March. This steep increase in American cases occurred due to more rapid testing and New York, USA is considered to be the new epicenter for corona.

As of April 19th, 2020, the countries with the most cases are: 1. USA 2. Spain 3. Italy 4. France 5. Germany 6. United Kingdom 7. Turkey 8. China 9. Iran 10. Russia While most countries are still battling their first wave of COVID-19, China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore are among a number of Asain countries reporting a second wave. These countries saw a significant decline, or stop in new cases, until they started having jumps, and then a steady increase. In some of these countries, the surge is rumored to be caused by a loosening of social distancing requirements. In other countries, the catalyst has not been discovered yet.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, meaning it affects the respiratory system, including the lungs. One important aspect to note is that COVID-19 affects the elderly at a much higher rate than the young. While people of all ages are susceptible to infection, the death rate for older people is disproportionately higher than that of younger people. The elderly most in danger are 65 years or older and live in a nursing home or care facility. The people most affected are immunocompromised, or have a weakened immune system, reducing their ability to fight infections and other diseases. For more information on what underlying health-conditions make one more susceptible to COVID-19, click here. Additionally, people who are pregnant or homeless are more susceptible to coronavirus.

New data shows that minority communities are most impacted by COVID-19. As we talked about earlier, those with underlying medical issues are most susceptible. They are also more likely to need hospital treatment and they have a higher death rate than other groups.

In the US, health and wealth have a direct relationship. Lower-income populations face difficulties that could impact them in all aspects. According to NPR, “They are more likely to have underlying health issues, putting them at higher risk of serious complications and death. They are more likely to have jobs that do not allow them to work from home, increasing their likelihood of being exposed to the virus. And they are more likely to be underinsured, potentially keeping them from seeking treatment until it's too late.” This may cause lower-income populations to have a higher death rate than their wealthier counterparts. This has proven to be true for other pandemics, including the Spanish Flu.

Medical staff have reported that some patients infected with COVID-19 also experienced heart attacks. This may be explained by the fact that viruses that attack the respiratory system also damage the heart. In the US, African-Americans are more likely to have fatal heart conditions than other racial groups. “In 2017, the latest year for which data are available, African Americans died from heart disease at a rate of 208 per 100,000, while whites died at a rate of 169 per 100,000. Other racial and ethnic groups' rates were even lower,” says the NPR. This disproportion may cause African Americans to have a higher death rate than other races.

As always, we at Six STEM Sisters encourage you to practice social distancing in this difficult time. We hope you and the people around you are safe and healthy. Thank you for reading this article and feel free to share it with others to spread accurate information! Bibliography “Coronavirus: Asian Nations Face Second Wave of Imported Cases.” BBC News, BBC, 19 Mar. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51955931. Duddu, Praveen, and Praveen. “COVID-19 Coronavirus: Top Ten Most-Affected Countries.” Pharmaceutical Technology, 2 Apr. 2020, www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/covid-19-coronavirus-top-ten-most-affected-countries/. Grantz, Kyra H., et al. “Disparities in Influenza Mortality and Transmission Related to Sociodemographic Factors within Chicago in the Pandemic of 1918.” PNAS, National Academy of Sciences, 29 Nov. 2016, www.pnas.org/content/113/48/13839. “Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.” Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. “People Who Are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Apr. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/people-at-higher-risk.html. Whyte, Liz Essley, and Chris Zubak-Skees. “Underlying Health Disparities Could Mean Coronavirus Hits Some Communities Harder.” NPR, NPR, 1 Apr. 2020, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/04/01/824874977/underlying-health-disparities-could-mean-coronavirus-hits-some-communities-harde.