Men have 30% higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than women: Study
Boston: Men have a 30 per cent higher risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to women of the same age and health status, according to a new study which analysed the link between common patient characteristics and the risk of dying from the novel coronavirus infection.
Hospitalised COVID-19 patients have a greater risk of dying if they are men or if they are obese or have complications from diabetes or hypertension, the study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, noted.
In the research, the scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in the US assessed nearly 67,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 613 hospitals across the country.
They said the patients who were obese, had hypertension or poorly managed diabetes had a higher risk of dying compared to those who did not have these conditions.
The study noted that COVID-19 patients aged 20 to 39 with these conditions had the biggest difference in their risk of dying compared to their healthier peers.
"Knowledge is power in many ways, so I think understanding which hospitalized COVID-19 patients are at highest risk of mortality can help guide difficult treatment decisions," said study corresponding author Anthony D. Harris.
The researchers believe healthcare providers could consider these risks when determining which COVID-19 patients could benefit the most from antibody therapies that, if given in the first few days of the infection, can reduce hospitalisation risk.
According to the study, age remained the strongest predictor of mortality from COVID-19.
It noted that overall, nearly 19 per cent of hospitalised COVID-19 patients died from their infection with the lowest mortality among pediatric patients, which was less than two per cent.
Mortality rates increased with each decade of life with the highest mortality, 34 per cent, among those aged 80 and older.
"Older patients still have the highest risk of dying, but younger patients with obesity or hypertension have the highest risk of dying relative to other patients their age without these conditions, said study lead author Katherine E. Goodman.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
