Coronavirus outbreak – More men are dying from COVID-19 than women, here’s why?

It looks like novel coronavirus has set alarm bell ringing and turned on the panic button worldwide with authorities of various countries undertaking severe measures to contain the fatality which has been on the rise. More than 37,000 people have died across the globe due to COVID-19.

Till now, it has been observed that older people are most at risk of dying due to coronavirus. In China, 80% of deaths were among people in their 60s or older, and that general trend is playing out elsewhere. There are still many things we do not know about COVID-19, one of them being that not only age, the coronavirus also discriminates by gender.  Yes, you read it right, men are more likely to die from COVID-19 than women.

A study of deaths in China showed that the fatality rate was 2.8% in men compared with 1.7% in women due to coronavirus. The study looked at 44,000 patients. Same pattern has been observed in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Spain. In Italy, men have accounted for 71% of deaths.

Why are men more vulnerable?

Researchers say there are several factors that likely contribute to the higher percentage of coronavirus deaths in men. Among them are smoking, preexisting conditions and male physiology.

Studies have suggested that smoking might be one of the reasons. In China, nearly 50% of men but only about 2% of women smoke. Smoking increases the chance of lung damage, and lung damage leaves patients open to the worst of the COVID-19 virus.

Some studies have also suggested that behavioral factors may also have a role. As per some studies men are less likely to wash their hands, less likely to use soap, less likely to seek medical care and more likely to ignore public health advice- which puts them at higher risk of developing symptoms.

Also, men tend to have higher instances of the preexisting conditions that have led to worse outcomes for those who contract the virus. In Italy, men have higher rates of hypertension than women of the same age. In China, more men than women suffer from diabetes. Preliminary reports of people with severe COVID-19 disease have found associations with existing co-morbidities including hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some chronic lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

Another factor that may protect women from developing the disease is their hormones. A study by the University of Iowa of mice infected with SARS, a common type of coronavirus, found that hormones such as estrogen seem to make female mice less likely to die from the disease.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story and may not have modified or edited by Quickclarity news)

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