Scientists have studied the possible connection between ethnicity and the severity of the course of COVID-19

The research results are published on the BMJ Open portal.

Scientists used data from 1,737 COVID-19 patients over the age of 16.

Among them, 538 were Asian, 340 black and 707 white.

By the 30th day after hospitalization, 511 patients had died.

At the same time, Asians and black patients were admitted to the intensive care unit and underwent ventilation more often than white patients, the study said.

"Among Asian patients and black patients, there was a higher mortality rate from COVID-19 infection ... Our analysis shows that among Asian patients and black patients, there is a disproportionately high premature death from COVID-19," the scientists concluded.

Earlier, scientists from the University of Washington Medical School in St. Louis found that an increase in the level of mitochondrial DNA in the blood of patients with COVID-19 can serve as an early indicator for determining severe consequences and death from coronavirus infection.