Recent reports have shown that coronavirus is infecting and killing black people at a disproportionately high rate. In St. Louis, city officials announced Wednesday that all of their COVID-19-related deaths have been black people.
According to St. Louis Post-Dispatch, as of Wednesday, the city has over 480 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and all 12 people who have died of complications related to the virus were black. City Health Director Dr. Fredrick Echols believes that socioeconomic inequity is a major factor.
“If you look at the health disparities in the city of St. Louis, they’re not unique,” Echols said during a press briefing Wednesday. “Inequities exist across the U.S. and across the world, and it’s posed a challenge for public health agencies, [which] have to address those issues and ensure all individuals, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, income, or educational attainment have access to quality health-related resources.”
By Zack Linly, The Root
Featured Image, Carolina Hildalgo | St. Louis Public Radio
Full article @ The Root