WASHINGTON, April 9 -- While existing evidence shows African Americans have higher rates of COVID-19 infection and morality in the United States, a leading epidemiologist told Xinhua on Thursday that underlying health conditions and higher chances of exposure to virus environment may contribute to the problem.
U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this week his administration is actively engaging on the disease's increased impacts on the African American community, and doing everything to address this challenge.
"It's been disproportional," Trump said, adding he is very concerned about the terrible numbers of infected African Americans.
Zhang Zuofeng, professor of epidemiology, and also associate dean for research at the School of Public Health of the University of California, Los Angeles, told Xinhua that African Americans have higher rates of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and obesity, which may be a main reason for why they had higher rates of COVID-19 infection and mortality.
Moreover, compared with other ethnic groups, more African Americans are working in positions with higher chances of exposure to COVID-19, such as workers and cleaners in health care facilities, and bus drivers, which made them more easily to get infected, Zhang said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said higher rates of pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and asthma, within black and minority communities, may contribute to the phenomenon, as well as their higher use of public transportation.
"We are very concerned about that. It is very sad. There is nothing we can do about it right now except to give them the best possible care to avoid complications," Fauci said.
A few states have released racial data on COVID-19 infection, including Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey and North Carolina. Data from these states showed African Americans died at disproportionately higher rates compared with other Americans.
According to state public health departments, of all the coronavirus-related deaths in Louisiana, about 70 percent were African American patients, despite the fact that African Americans comprise less than one third of the state's population.
In Michigan, African Americans account for 14 percent of the state's population, but 33 percent of COVID-19 cases and 40 percent of deaths.
"Currently the race data for COVID-19 are not complete. As soon as other states with huge population released their data, such as Texas, California and New York state, we can have a clearer picture of COVID-19 infection and mortality for all races," Zhang told Xinhua.
Trump said the White House would release data on coronavirus cases by race shortly.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said the risk of tragedy is very real. "It is a reminder that we have to be very careful with people with underlying health conditions."