Study updates data on COVID-19 hospitalizations for those with underlying health conditions

COVID-19 hospitalizations were six times higher and deaths 12 times more likely for patients with reported underlying health conditions compared with those with none, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released yesterday.

The study's authors looked at outcomes from more than 1.3 million U.S. cases between Jan. 22 and May 30 and found the most common problematic underlying conditions include cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lung disease. The report also notes that death was most common among patients over age 80, regardless of the presence of underlying conditions.