Information published by CDC aligns with findings in Italy and China
Patients in the U.S. with underlying health conditions are likely to be at higher risk of severe disease from the new coronavirus, according to data from the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, which aligns with findings in countries such as Italy and China.
A CDC report published Tuesday found that higher proportions of U.S. patients with underlying conditions including diabetes, chronic lung disease and cardiovascular disease were hospitalized compared with those without additional afflictions. But a small proportion of people without other reported health conditions still had severe-enough coronavirus infections to require intensive care, the report found.
The report is preliminary, and the agency cautioned that the analysis has several limitations, including small numbers, missing patient information, a lack of long-term follow-up and a likely bias toward more serious outcomes, because testing in the U.S. has been limited to those with more severe infections. It isn’t known whether the gravity of the condition affects the risk of a worse Covid-19 experience, the CDC said.
Brianna Abbott – The Wall Street Journal – March 31, 2020.