Is Coronavirus Disproportionately Killing Black Americans?
The global pandemic, COVID-19, is reportedly killing an overwhelming number of Black Americans at a much higher rate compared to other races in cities across the nation.
Health experts voiced their concern for the nation's vulnerable population as federal officials and states are, allegedly, not keeping track or releasing racial profiles on COVID-19 victims.
Cities with a significant number of black populations such as New Orleans and New York are seeing a surge in coronavirus-related deaths. Civil rights groups and the White House are urging authorities to release racial data on all coronavirus victims, saying it will ensure proper information reaches all communities affected by the pandemic.
In a White House briefing on Tuesday, the US President Donald Trump and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Anthony Fauci, revealed African Americans were struck hard by the virus---a figure that represents a "tremendous challenge" for the country.
Trump said the national data would be available later this week. Meanwhile, Fauci said health disparities have made the outbreak worse for people who belong in the black community. He urged medical professionals to give the African American resident the best medical care possible to avoid further complications.
The Figures
Racial data released by a handful of states showed black Americans are dying at a much higher rate than the whites. Hardie Davis Jr., mayor of Augusta, Georgia, said the data is a cause for concern as it represents a critical issue within the African-American community.
In Louisiana, 70% of the 512 COVID-19 deaths involved African-American patients. Only 28% of all coronavirus-related deaths in the state were white, although black people comprise less than a third of Louisiana's population.
Illinois' Health Department reported more than 12,200 coronavirus cases and 307 fatalities on Monday. Black Americans made up for 29.4% of all confirmed COVID-19 cases and 42% of the state's virus-related deaths. According to the United States Census Bureau, African Americans comprised 15% of the state's total population.
Black people account for 14% of Michigan's population. However, they compose 33% of the state's COVID-19 cases and 41% of deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said they are working to collect all racial data from states. A spokesperson for the federal health organization said data about COVID-19 hospitalizations, including race and ethnicity, will be released after all necessary information is received.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
In the data released by Louisiana's Health Department, many of those who died from COVID-19 had medical complications.
US Representative Robin Kelly urged Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to release national data by race. The data will help state governments to impose necessary policies and programs as well as allocate resources needed by communities.
Lawmakers and advocates are calling the Department of Health to release racial breakdowns for all cases. They said data on testing, hospitalization, and mortality rates should be dispersed to ensure all residents are receiving proper medical attention.
"Without everyone reporting the data, you can't see the magnitude of the problem," Lovely Warren, mayor of Rochester, New York, said.
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