Over and over.

The novel coronavirus is more likely to affect the elderly and people with underlying conditions for the latter group.

That might have something to do with the medication that they're on the condition itself or their immune system.

That's Amir Khan, a National Health Service doctor in the UK The cove in 19 coronavirus is a respiratory virus, which means it can invade your respiratory system, affecting how you breathe in oxygen and get it to your bloodstream.

And where the virus targets can explain why certain conditions are especially vulnerable.

First, there's diabetes.

People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing complications from the coronavirus, although the vast majority will suffer mild to moderate symptoms, there is a small proportion that will suffer severe symptoms, and that is higher than those people who don't have diabetes.

Diabetes is a condition in which either the body doesn't produce enough insulin or the body is resistant to the effects of insulin.

Insulin is important because it regulates the amount of sugar in your blood.

High levels of blood sugar over a long period of time can actually depress your immune system, so it doesn't respond as quickly to the virus when it enters the body on, it has more time to replicate, get down to your lungs and cause the problems associated with breathing.

That can lead to needing hospital treatment.

If you have diabetes and are worried about contracting Cove in 19 Khan says the best thing to do is to control your blood sugar as much as possible so your immune system stays healthy.

People with heart conditions should also be concerned.

Looking at the numbers coming out off China and other countries, we can see that people with heart conditions really are at high risk of developing complications.

Of the 1st 44,672 diagnosed cove in 19 cases in China, patients with cardiovascular diseases had the highest fatality rate at 10.5%.

Other heart conditions include previous heart attacks or strokes.

When the coronavirus enters your body and gets down to your lungs, what it does is stop the lungs effectively passing oxygen through into the blood.

And so the heart has to work harder to pump that blood around, which has less oxygen in it.

And if you have an underlying heart condition that will put excess strain on your heart and lead to further complications.

Finally, people with conditions that involve the lungs like asthma, are also at higher risk of being affected by coronavirus.

One of the organs we know the coronavirus goes to is the lungs is it actually attacks the edges of the lungs and the edges of the lungs or the Alvey.

Only we call them are actually responsible for much off the gas exchange with asthma.

Anything that's foreign or unusual, that enters the lungs often triggers an asthmatic response and causes the airways to narrow further on for you to become wheezy.

This cause and effect also applies to people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or C o.

P d, a disease that blocks air flow to the lungs with people with COPD in particular.

There's already damaged on there, so any further damage will cause really severe lung problems, Khan says.

The best thing to do for people who have either of these conditions is to speak with your doctor to make sure you're using your inhaler correctly.

Patients who have had cancer may also be at higher risk, since some types of cancer and treatments can weaken immune systems, thus increasing chances of infection.

Although having an underlying condition increases your risk of having MAWR severe complications from coronavirus, most cases are survivable.

The CDC says you should seek serious medical attention if you're experiencing any of the following symptoms.

Trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest.

Confusion, thean ability to get up or bluish lips or face.

Otherwise, stay vigilant by washing your hands, cleaning the surfaces you use daily, avoiding close contact with people and monitoring your health mhm.