A study published in the Lancet Regional Health – Europe has shown that COVID-19 caused nine times more deaths in people with learning difficulties compared to the general population during the first wave of the pandemic in the United Kingdom.

Investigators looked into over 160,000 deaths in the UK between March and June 2020. They noted that deaths from COVID-19 among people having eating disorders were about five-fold higher in comparison with the general population, and four-fold higher among people with personality disorders as well as those with dementia. Moreover, deaths due to COVID were three-fold higher in people suffering from schizophrenia.

Individuals with nine different mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities had higher mortality from the viral disease during the period, noted investigators… (CNN, October 7, 2021)