The Novel Coronavirus Is Killing More Women Than Men In India, Claims Study

Studies have shown that men are more prone to dying from COVID-19 than women, globally, but a new research claims the complete opposite is happening in India.

In India, researchers used crowd-sourced data to provide preliminary estimates for age-sex-specific COVID-19 cases for India.

Reuters

Scientists, including Abhishek Kumar from the Institute of Economic Growth in New Delhi, used crowd-sourced data to provide early estimates for age-sex-specific COVID-19 case fatality rate (CFR) for India, reports The New Indian Express.

The study states that while the overall number of infected men is higher, relative mortality due to the disease is higher among women than men.

Image For Representation/Reuters

This stands as a complete opposite to the global trend in novel coronavirus cases. The study called 'Equal risk, unequal burden? Gender differentials in COVID-19 mortality in India', published in the Journal of Global Health Science, analysed data till May 20 to show that the overall case fatality rate among females in 3.3% - higher than that of males, which is 2.9%.

¡°An important concern is to examine the overall as well as age-specific COVID-19 infection and mortality risk from a gender lens. Preliminary evidence from various countries suggests that men are at a greater risk of both infections as well as deaths, but these inferences should be carefully interpreted,¡± S V Subramanian, Professor of Population Health and Geography at Harvard University, said in the study.

Professor Subramanian also added that insights are necessary to understand whether the excess risk for males and females are associated with socioeconomic circumstances and gender bias in care-seeking.

Meanwhile, the overall number of coronavirus cases worldwide stood at 7,500,777, while the deaths increased to 420,993. The US continues to have the world¡¯s highest number of confirmed cases and deaths at 2,022,488 and 113,803, respectively, according to the CSSE.