Latinos in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles are contracting COVID-19 at an alarmingly high rate, reports The Washington Post.
The Post analyzed data from jurisdictions that track information on race and ethnicity associated with COVID-19 cases. Latinos represent about 10 percent of the population in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, but account for one-third of cases, the analysis revealed.
Nationwide, about 26 percent of Latino adults said they know someone who has died from COVID-19, compared to just 10 percent of white adults, according to a ABC News-Ipsos survey published May 22.
Health experts said COVID-19 may disproportionately affect Latinos for numerous socioeconomic reasons. For one, many Latinos work in service industry jobs and cannot stay home to limit their chance of contracting the virus. They are also more likely to live in multigenerational homes or have several roommates to mitigate high housing costs, which could cause the virus to spread more easily, according to experts.
Recruiting more interpreters to help with coronavirus contact-tracing efforts and opening up more lodging for COVID-19 patients to isolate from other members of their household could help limit COVID-19's spread among Latinos, public health experts said.
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