The new report reveals that among all coronavirus deaths reported by NHS England., nearly 1/4th were diabetic patients. This report was prepared after analyzing the data obtained between 31st March and 12th May, with a total number of 5,873 patients who were diabetic, lost their lives to the coronavirus in hospitals. It nearly makes 26% of all coronavirus related deaths.
It is the first-ever report on hospital-based deaths by coronavirus when another underlying condition has been found in such a huge number of patients.
In general, diabetic patients are at high risk of all health-related complications such as heart diseases. However, evaluating the victims of coronavirus tells that those who have low immunity or an underlying medical condition are more likely to get it; as their body doesn’t always initiate an effective immune response like a healthy person.
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Previously, people with diabetes were considered to be at ‘moderate’ risk and not a part of high-risk groups along with older-age patients, auto-immune disease patients, etc. there were no diabetes-specific guidelines for them and no know really knew what is the risk of coronavirus like for diabetic patients.
In the UK, nearly 6% of the population is living with diabetes. This recent report implying the high risk of death by a coronavirus in diabetic patients is worrisome and requires immediate care plans for them.
The NHS England data has not specifically categorized for all these deaths by a coronavirus in diabetic patients on whether they were diabetes type 1 patients or diabetes type 2 patients. But this data is enough to understand that diabetic patients should be added to the high-risk groups along with older people, heart patients, and others.
NHS says that they are evaluating these deaths by coronavirus to identify them as diabetes type one or type two patients, weight, ethnicity, and many other things that might be a risk factor for the severity of the symptoms.
NHS England is now working with Diabetes UK to publish guidelines for diabetic patients over their helpline including the clinical advisors, mainly the volunteers.
Bridget Turner is the director of policy at Diabetes UK. Upon this new revelation, he says that; “The fact that more than a quarter of people who have died with Covid-19 have diabetes underlines the urgent need to ensure better protection and extra support is available to those in the clinically vulnerable groups.”
He further adds; “We also need urgent action from government to understand the detail behind this figure, including diabetes type, age, ethnicity, medical history and comorbidities of those who have sadly died, so that we can know how to keep all people with diabetes safe.”
This data also included patients who were confirmed with coronavirus and had dementia as an underlying disease. This number was nearly 4,048 patients which make 18% of the total deaths by coronavirus reported in the UK. Kidney patients were 3,214 cases or 14% of all the deaths. Furthermore, those who had chronic pulmonary diseases were 3,254 in all deaths reported by a coronavirus, making 15% of the total deaths.
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All this data on deaths by coronavirus with underlying medical conditions has been published by the NHS England today after it aimed to find the most affected groups by a coronavirus, as a step towards planning control strategies.
The UK has nearly 230,000 confirmed coronavirus cases now and more than 33,000 people have lost their lives while battling with this deadly pandemic. Although the daily cases are declining and now the new cases are lowest after the government has conducted massive testing for coronavirus.
Still, many people believe that these reports by the British government are not accurate. Earlier, the report released by Office for National Statistics revealed that the deaths by coronavirus have actually crossed 36,000 on May 1st.
NHS is trying hard, going to the extra miles to control the pandemic by specifying the high-risk groups for the deaths by a coronavirus. Being at the top of the list, diabetic patients need more self-care and prompt medical treatment if they suspect any sign of coronavirus in them.