Top underlying medical condition for Oregonians who have died from coronavirus: heart disease – oregonlive.com

The Oregon Health Authority this week offered deeper insight into how coronavirus plays out in the state, in particular the underlying medical conditions of those who have succumbed to the illness.

The state reviewed records for 73 of the 99 coronavirus-related deaths in Oregon and included the data in its latest update Tuesday.

People who died from the illness may have had more than one underlying condition.

The most common conditions, according to the states review:

1. Cardiovascular disease

2. Neurological/neurodevelopmental conditions, including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy or other seizure disorders, stroke, intellectual disability, moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury

3. Other illnesses that include cancer, hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, hemodialysis and gastrointestinal disorders

4. Diabetes

5. Lung disease

People 60 or older and have an underlying health condition are at higher risk for the virus. Older people generally have immune systems that are naturally weaker than younger people.

The latest data underscores older peoples vulnerability to the illness: Half of those 80 and older who tested positive were hospitalized, according to the state data. Meanwhile, 7% of people 19 and younger who tested positive were hospitalized.

So far, 52,242 people have been tested in Oregon. Of those, 2,385 tested positive.

-- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie

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Top underlying medical condition for Oregonians who have died from coronavirus: heart disease - oregonlive.com