Coronavirus IS killing more black Americans, study finds: Counties with large numbers of African American residents account for 52% of infections and 58% of COVID-19 deaths in the US

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, data has shown that COVID-19 is disproportionately killing African Americans, and a new study has revealed just how alarming those numbers are. 

According to the study released by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, counties with large African American populations, which constitute only 22 per cent of US counties, are 'bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic'. 

Black counties account for only 13 per cent of the US population, but those counties account for 52 per cent of coronavirus cases and 58 per cent of COVID-19 deaths. 

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According to the study released by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, counties with large African American populations, which constitute only 22 per cent of US counties, are 'bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic' (depicted above) 

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Black counties account for only 13 per cent of the US population but account for 52 per cent of coronavirus cases and 58 per cent of COVID-19 deaths. Counties with above average black populations shown in orange. All other counties shown in blue

'Many people have observed large and consistent disparities in COVID-19 cases and deaths among black Americans, but these observations have largely been anecdotal or have relied on incomplete data,' amfAR VP and Director of Public Policy Greg Millett, the study’s lead investigator, said in the report. 

'This analysis proves that county-level data can be used to gauge COVID-19 impact on black communities to inform immediate policy actions,' Millett added.

Researchers looked at coronavirus cases and deaths in more than 3,100 counties between late January to mid-April. 

They found that disproportionately black counties, mostly in the South, have significantly higher rates of infection and mortality.

'COVID-19 deaths were higher in disproportionally black rural and small metro counties,' researchers wrote.  

For this study, data was collected on April 13 when there were more than 547,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US and at least 21,634 deaths. 

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Researchers looked at coronavirus cases and deaths in more than 3,100 counties between late January to mid-April (depicted)

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Twenty-two per cent of counties in the US have above average black populations (depicted above)

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This graph shows the likelihood of COVID-19 diagnoses increase with the proportion of black residents across US counties 

'The study clearly showed that COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths increased in counties with a greater proportion of black residents,' the researchers wrote. 

Counties with high levels of uninsured people and crowded households were at increased risk for acquiring COVID-19, the study found. 

'Collectively, these data demonstrate significantly higher rates of COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths in disproportionately black counties compared to other counties, as well as greater diabetes diagnoses, heart disease deaths, and cerebrovascular disease deaths in unadjusted analyses,' the researchers said.  

The study was led by researchers at amfAR, four universities and the Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access at PATH.

In the United States, there are more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases with at least 72,000 deaths. 

Among the cities where black residents have been hard-hit include Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans and Milwaukee.

In Chicago, 72 per cent of the deaths have been black residents despite them only making up 30 per cent of the city's population.

In Louisiana, where New Orleans is a major hot spot for the virus, about 70 per cent of those who have died were black.

Black people only make up 32 per cent of residents in the state.

A history of systemic racism and inequity in access to healthcare and economic opportunity has made many African Americans far more vulnerable to the virus.

Black adults suffer from higher rates of obesity, diabetes and asthma, which make them more susceptible, and also are more likely to be uninsured.

They also often report that medical professionals take their ailments less seriously when they seek treatment.

Many African Americans have service jobs such as bus drivers, pharmacy workers and grocery store employees, which have become essential during lockdowns across most of the US.

It prevents them from staying at home and increases their exposure to the virus through contact with the public - while white people across the US are more likely to have jobs where they can work from home.

President Donald Trump and the government's top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, acknowledged the issue during a White House briefing last mont, with Trump calling it a 'tremendous challenge', but the president is yet to launch efforts to solve it.