Black men are at the highest risk from Covid-19 in England and Wales, being twice as likely as white males to die of the virus, according to new data covering the peak of the pandemic.
Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Friday, based on Covid-19-related deaths registered between March 2 and May 15, show stark disparities in the impact of the virus on different ethnic groups.
Mortality rates were highest among black males, while south Asian men were 1.5 times more likely to die from coronavirus than white men.
For the first time, the figures took into account where people lived, population density, levels of deprivation and whether individuals come from crowded multi-generational households.
Nick Stripe, head of Life Events at the ONS, said that even adjusting for socio-economic and geographical factors that can increase the likelihood of dying from the disease, “there remains twice the risk for black males and around one and a half times for black females.”
For females in Chinese, Bangladeshi or Pakistani, Indian and mixed ethnic groups, the mortality rate was similar that of white females.
The findings come just days after a Public Health England (PHE) report found that the disproportionate impact of coronavirus among black and minority ethnic people was due, in part, to social and economic inequality linked to racism.
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