Coronavirus: 9 in 10 dying have existing illness

More than 9 in 10 people dying with coronavirus have an underlying health condition, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

The ONS looked at nearly 4,000 deaths during March in England and Wales where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate. In 91% of cases the individuals had other health problems.

The most common was heart disease, followed by dementia and respiratory illness. On average, people dying also had roughly three other health conditions.

The ONS has also looked at the differences in death rates by age and sex, with men twice as likely to die with coronavirus. Unsurprisingly, the risk of dying increases with age, rising sharply from age 60 years onwards.

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Source: BBC News, 17 April 2020