US President Donald Trump has tested positive for coronavirus with the world in frenzy over what this could mean for the country’s upcoming presidential elections.
A more pressing concern, however, is what the diagnosis could mean for his health. Is he susceptible to severe coronavirus symptoms owing to certain factors?
The answer, in short, is yes.
For Trump, his age — he is 74 — automatically places him in a high-risk group. Additionally, his weight poses a threat. According to CNN, the US president is “clinically obese” and obesity has been cited by health experts as a risk factor for a more severe form of the illness.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that people aged between 65 and 74 are five times as likely to be hospitalized and are 90 times as likely to die from the disease compared to people aged 18-29.
CNN, citing results from a physical exam in April, said that Trump weighs 244 pounds and stands 6 feet and 3 inches tall. This makes his Body Mass Index (BMI) 30.5, which, for that height and weight, makes him mildly obese.
Obesity in a patients means they are thrice as likely to be hospitalised if they have COVID-19, according to the CDC.
Furthermore, the US president is male and studies show that risk of death or severe symptoms of coronavirus are higher in men than women.
Whether Trump has any underlying health conditions, is unknown.
