People with blood type 'A' may be more vulnerable to Coronavirus: Reports

Researchers studying Coronavirus outbreak in its epicentre China have said that people with blood type A are more vulnerable to the disease, while those with blood type O could be resistant. According to reports, researchers have found that the proportion of blood type A patients infected or killed by COVID-19 are significantly higher than those with blood type O.

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According to the study published in medrxiv.org, "The study was conducted by comparing the blood group distribution in 2,173 patients with COVID-19 confirmed by SARS-CoV-2 test from three hospitals in Wuhan and Shenzhen, China with that in normal people from the corresponding regions."

As per the study, "The ABO group in 3,694 normal people in Wuhan showed a distribution of 32.16%, 24.90%, 9.10% and 33.84% for A, B, AB and O, respectively, versus the distribution of 37.75%, 26.42%, 10.03% and 25.80% for A, B, AB and O, respectively, in 1,775 COVID-19 patients from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital. The proportion of blood groups A and O in COVID-19 patients were significantly higher and lower, respectively than that in normal people."

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Coronavirus outbreak

The COVID-19 has claimed more than 8,000 lives across the globe and has infected around 2,00,000 people globally. China is the most affected country in the world as it is believed that the virus originated from a seafood market in Wuhan, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally. Italy, Iran and Spain are the most affected countries outside mainland China, where a combined death toll stands at 4,024.

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Health experts have indicated that a vaccine to fight coronavirus could take at least a year to develop. However, scientists in Australia have studied and found how the body's immune system responds in relation to the clinical and virological features of a patient with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease. The scientists studied tests of a coronavirus patient from Wuhan who has now recovered fully. Experts from around the world have lauded the find and have said that it could be a big breakthrough in developing the vaccine. 

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Lead Image Credit: AP