People of Bangladeshi ethnicity have about double the risk of dying from COVID-19 than white British people, according to a Public Health England or PHE inquiry ordered by the UK government.

As many as 708 Bangladesh were infected with the novel coronavirus in England until May 13 and 182 of them have died, said the PHE report, which was published on Tuesday.

COVID-19 has officially claimed almost 50,000 lives in the UK since February.

Death rates from the respiratory disease in England have been higher among people of black and Asian origin than any other ethnic group, The Guardian newspaper said, citing the report.

In addition, those people of black backgrounds are the ethnic group most likely to be diagnosed with the disease.

People of Bangladeshi background face the greatest danger of dying from the disease, according to the PHE review.

Their risk of death is double that seen among white British people, says PHE’s report published on Tuesday and titled ‘Disparities in the risk and outcomes from COVID-19’

PHE’s findings demanded urgent action by ministers, said Labour MP David Lammy, who is shadow secretary of state for justice.

“Families are living in fear. There must be no more delay. The government must take urgent action to protect at-risk groups,” he tweeted.

https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2020/06/02/people-of-bangladeshi-origin-in-britain-in-greatest-danger-of-dying-in-pandemic-health-report