Top Virus Doctor Says High Blood Pressure Major Death Risk… As Coronavirus Spreads, Warnings Become More Urgent For Elderly And Frail

Top Virus Doctor Says High Blood Pressure Major Death Risk…

Patients with hypertension appear to be at a higher risk of dying from the coronavirus, said a top Chinese intensive care doctor who’s been treating critically ill patients since mid-January.

While there’s been no published research yet explaining why, Chinese doctors working in Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus first emerged, have noticed that infected patients with that underlying illness are more likely to slip into severe distress and die.

Of a group of 170 patients who died in January in Wuhan – the first wave of casualties caused by a pathogen that’s now raced around the world – nearly half had hypertension.

“That’s a very high ratio,” said Du Bin, director of the intensive care unit at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, in an interview with Bloomberg over the phone from Wuhan. He was among a team of top doctors sent to the devastated city two months ago to help treat patients there.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: US Death Toll Hits 26 with over 600 Cases.

Commander of US Army Europe self-quarantines after he and others were exposed to coronavirus.

Coronavirus Deaths in Washington, California Raise U.S. Toll to 26.

Coronavirus Cases in New York Rise to 142: Eight of state’s confirmed cases hospitalized; Cuomo calls Westchester County a national hot spot.

Coronavirus: driver, 44, latest confirmed case in Hong Kong, bringing total to 115.

Volunteers needed: Human guinea pigs to be paid $7000 to be infected with coronavirus.

Lancet study decodes progression of novel coronavirus symptoms.

Hospitals prepare ‘negative-pressure rooms’ for COVID-19 patients.

Number of Congressional Lawmakers in Self-Quarantine Due to Coronavirus Climbs to Five: Possible exposure at CPAC gathering is cited by four Republicans; a Democratic congresswoman is affected.

27 killed by alcohol poisoning in Iran trying to protect themselves from coronavirus.

Ireland cancels all St. Patrick’s Day parades due to coronavirus.

We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!