In Chicago, 70% of COVID-19 Deaths Are Black

[mucifer]

The COVID-19 virus is killing black residents in Cook County at disproportionately high rates, according to early data analyzed by WBEZ.

While black residents make up only 23% of the population in the county, they account for 58% of the COVID-19 deaths. And half of the deceased lived in Chicago, according to data from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

As of Saturday, 107 of Cook County’s 183 deaths from COVID-19 were black. In Chicago, 61 of the 86 recorded deaths – or 70% – were black residents. Blacks make up 29% of Chicago’s population.

The majority of the black COVID-19 patients who died had underlying health conditions including respiratory problems and diabetes. Eighty-one percent of them had hypertension, or high blood pressure, diabetes or both.

https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/in-chicago-70-of-covid19-deaths-are-black/dd3f295f-445e-4e38-b37f-a1503782b507

WBEZ is Chicago Public Radio.

I watched Governor Prtizker's daily address today. Reporters asked him about it. He acknowledged that inequity of the health care system as far as access and results to black people living in the USA. He did not give good answers as far as addressing this other than the usual stay home and wear a mask when you go out.

This is horribly sad.

[Karadeniz]

1. Not fair...ashamed...

[Takket]

2. direct results of income inequality...

[ecstatic]

10. And institutional racism in healthcare. I read a story in the AJC about a woman

who was turned away from testing & treatment. Money wasn't an issue in her case. I doubt she would have been denied testing and treatment if she were white.

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/lost-and-adrift-dekalb-woman-coronavirus-death-hits-loved-ones-hard/KYwn091znAD74DIQ1BFLaO/

[crickets]

3. Damn. This is awful. nt

[TCJ70]

4. Can this one NOT be a race issue, please?

It’s a virus. It doesn’t discriminate.

[mucifer]

5. I wish it was that simple. Research says there are disturbing patterns

Governor Pritzker acknowledged it today

[TCJ70]

8. I don't know what else he's supposed to do.

The quarantine guidelines in Illinois are pretty good.

[mucifer]

9. I would bet you the IL Public Health Dept is looking into ways to address it

I sure hope so.

[uponit7771]

6. Trump does and he's a racist

[TCJ70]

7. No argument there...doesn't have any bearing on a virus not being racist.

Illinois is under a fairly stringent set of quarantine rules right now. It’s not like they aren’t trying.

[greenjar_01]

12. Every public health official and researcher in the world knows there are health disparities

resulting from systemic racism in society.

Saying "the virus doesn't discriminate" is just, well... Our society produces massive health disparities along racial and class lines that cause notably different health outcomes for this virus. The same is turning out to be true in Detroit, and the hardest hit areas in New York City are poorer and mostly populated by people of color. To deny this with "The virus doesn't discriminate" is fucking infuriating, quite frankly.

[greenjar_01]

11. Virus seems intent on showing our societies for what they are

[Demovictory9]

13. kick

[Drahthaardogs]

14. Genetic or socioeconomic or something else?

Someone posted a few days ago about this trend in the south, and attributed it to the Churches.