Prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients in the WHO African Region: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly becoming a major public health challenge and are the leading cause of premature death and disability worldwide. Available data in the scientific literature suggest that pre-existing comorbidities, including NCDs, may increase the risk of COVID-19 severity or COVID-19-related mortality.
The aim of this report is to assess the association and deadly interplay between NCDs and COVID-19 in the WHO African Region.