Prevalence of underlying conditions points to Covid-19 risk

NUMBER OF ADULTS WITH AN UNDERLYING CONDITION, BY COUNTY, IN 2018. (CDC)

The U.S. just recorded 4 million Covid-19 cases, and hospitalizations and deaths across the country continue to be on the rise. Against this backdrop, a new CDC report finds that the prevalence of any underlying condition — many of which are considered risk factors for Covid-19 — was nearly 50% across more than 3,100 U.S. counties according to 2018 data. Previous research has found that those with at least one underlying condition were six times likelier to be hospitalized and 12 times likelier to die from Covid-19. According to the new report, the prevalence of common conditions associated with an increased risk of Covid-19 ranged from 30% for obesity to 7% for COPD. Although the number of people with underlying conditions was higher in urban metropolitan areas, the prevalence was higher in rural areas, and could help public health officials plan for Covid-19 infection and hospitalization risk.