Is Coronavirus killing more men than women?

VERDICT: TRUE , but it is too early to say but, smoking, drinking, and general poor health, researchers say are some of the factors that could explain why more men seem to be dying from coronavirus than women.

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SOURCE: News of the South, an online publication

BACKGROUND

Data has suggested that men might be more susceptible not only to catching coronavirus, but to dying from it. According News of the South in an article published on 26 March 2020, which attributes findings to researchers, smoking, drinking and general poor health are some of the factors that could explain why more men seem to be dying from Coronavirus than women.

“In countries such as Italy, men represent nearly 60% of people who tested positive for the virus and more than 70% of those who have died, according to the country’s National Health Institute (ISS),” reads the article.

“Even in countries like South Korea, where the proportion of women who have tested positive for the virus is higher than that of men, about 54% of the reported deaths are among men.”

The Los Angeles times in a story posted on 21 March, 2020 reported that men were faring worse than women in the Coronavirus pandemic, according to statistics emerging from across the world.

“On Friday, White House COVID-19 Task Force director Dr. Deborah Birx cited a report from Italy showing that men in nearly every age bracket were dying at higher rates than women,” reads the story.

“The apparent gender gap in Italy echoes earlier statistics from other hard-hit countries. While preliminary, early accounts have suggested that boys and men are more likely to become seriously ill than girls and women, and that men are more likely to die.”

Italian health authorities reported that among 13,882 cases of COVID-19 and 803 deaths between Feb. 21 and Mar. 12, men accounted for 58% of all cases and 72% of deaths.

“Hospitalized men with COVID-19 were 75% more likely to die than were women hospitalized with the respiratory disease.”

The Washington Post published a story on April 4, 2020, headlined: “All across the United States, the coronavirus is killing more men than women, data show.”

The story quotes Kaedrea Jackson, an emergency physician.

“It seems there are more men coming in with really severe illness,” said Jackson, an emergency physician.

 “In general, I’ve seen more male patients. And when they do come in, they are at a sicker state.”

The story further states that of more than 3,600 deaths in 13 states and New York City that report fatalities by gender, the majority of victims are men.