RIYADH — A recent scientific study, jointly conducted by the Saudi Health Council (SHC) and the World Bank (WB) to find out the possibility of an obese person contracting coronavirus, revealed that obesity is a major factor in making its victim susceptible to contract coronavirus, it was reported here Sunday.

In a statement, Dr. Nahar Bin Mizki Al-Azemi, secretary general of SHC, said the study, done by a four-member joint team, confirmed that obesity increases the risk of being inflicted with COVID-19, highly raises its victims admittance to hospital, and even sending him/her to ICU, and makes them susceptible to death.

According to the findings of the study, adopting a meta-analysis method, an obese person is more susceptible to catch coronavirus at a rate of 47% compared to fit people; liable to be admitted to hospital by 113%; and to the ICU by 74% and finally he/she is susceptible to pass away because of COVID-19 by 48 percent. — SPA