WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNN) – New numbers released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show which groups of Americans are being diagnosed with COVID-19 the most and how they fared.
The latest figures from the CDC confirm three groups of people are more likely to have a severe form of COVID-19 if they become infected with the virus. Older people, minorities, and those with pre-existing health conditions 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 underlying conditions were heart disease, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
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 ICU and to die from COVID-19 when compared to women.
The infection rate was highest among people over 80 and lowest among children 9 and younger. It was also higher among those aged between 40 and 59 than people aged 60-79.
Among cases with known race and ethnicity, 33% were Hispanic, 22% were black, and 1.3% were Native Americans.
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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