People with Blood Type A More Prone to COVID-19, Study Says

People with blood type A are more susceptible to COVID-19 and have the tendency to show more severe symptoms, while those with blood type O are more resistant, breakthrough research reveals. 

Researchers in China found that patients with blood type A are more vulnerable to COVID-19, while people with blood type O tend to be more resistant. The analysis of blood patterns of more than 2,000 infected patients in China showed that those with type A blood have a higher rate of infection and develop more severe symptoms. On the other hand, patients with blood type O experienced milder symptoms and had a lesser tendency to become infected.

Blood Type Study

The study compared blood types of 2,173 confirmed coronavirus cases in Wuhan and Shenzhen to more than 3,694 healthy residents in the Wuhan area. The study showed that while 31.16 percent of healthy Wuhan residents had blood type A, 37.75 percent of the coronavirus patients in the study were also of blood type A. In the same study, 25.8 percent of those affected had type O blood, while 33.84 percent of type O was in the healthy population. The study showed that of the 206 patients who died from the virus, 85 or 41.26 percent had Type A blood. On the other hand, 52 or 25 percent of the mortalities were of blood type O. The researchers of the study, the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine based out of Wuhan, noted that people with blood type O had a significantly lower risk for the COVID-19 than other blood type groups. More vigilant surveillance and aggressive treatment might be needed for COVID-19 patients with blood type A, the study reported.

"People of blood group A might need particularly strengthened personal protection to reduce the chance of infection," the research team recommended in its report.

The research, led by Wang Xinghuan was published on Medrxiv.org. The team admits that the study is only preliminary, and needs more work to develop concrete findings. Scientists not involved in the study also recommend a much larger sample size.

According to Gao Yingdai, a researcher with the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Haematology in Tianjin, while the new study may be helpful to health professionals, the statistics must not be seriously taken by ordinary citizens. He said a person with type A blood need not panic as "it does not mean that you will be infected 100 percent". Type O people are not safe, either. He advised that washing hands and following the guidelines issued by authorities is the best way to protect one's self from the virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic as it is affecting 166 countries and territories and 1 conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). To date, there are 198,726 cases of COVID-19 positive patients and 7,989 related deaths.

It is interesting to note that around the globe, there are 107,958 currently infected patients. Patients with mild conditions are recorded at 101,543 (94%). There are 6,415 (6%) in serious or critical condition. 90,768 cases already had an outcome since the outbreak started. Patients that have recovered or are already discharged totaled 82,779 (91%) while the total number of mortality is recorded at 7,989 (9%).