Underlying Health Disparities Could Mean Coronavirus Hits Some Communities Harder

As the coronavirus spreads across the country, millions of Americans already struggling with health and finances — especially those in minority communities — could bear the brunt of it.

New data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that COVID-19 patients with underlying health issues in the United States are more likely to need treatment in a hospital — or even in an intensive care unit. They are also at higher risk of dying, according to earlier epidemiological data from both China and the U.S.