Investigation of the factors potentially responsible for the significant different prevalence of COVID-19 between African-Africans and African-Americans

Chen, Canping Cao Wenxiu Wang Xiaosheng

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in more than 145 million cases and 3 million deaths as of April 23, 2021. Compared with the other continents, Africa had a relatively lower prevalence of COVID-19. However, the African-American population showed a higher COVID-19 susceptibility than the other U.S. populations. Methods: To investigate the factors that are potentially responsible for the different susceptibility of COVID-19 between African-Africans and African-Americans, we collected the data of cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, temperature, humidity, wind speed, age distribution, incidences of age-related diseases, lung diseases, and HIV, and smoking rate in 40 African countries and 50 U.S. states and New York city. Results: We found that old age, smoking, and age-related diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, COPD, diabetes, hypertension, neoplasms, and stroke) were potential risk factors for COVID-19, while chronic kidney disease, tuberculosis, young age, and temperature were potential protective factors. Conclusions: The significant differences in the age distribution, incidences of age-related diseases, lung diseases, and HIV, smoking rate, temperature, and humidity could be responsible for the markedly different prevalence of COVID-19 between African-Africans and African-Americans.