MEN face a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus (Covid-19), it has emerged, writes the GDN's Raji Unnikrishnan.

The global infection rate of Covid-19 in men is 65 per cent to 70pc higher than in women, according to researches endorsed by Bahrain’s National Taskforce for Combating Coronavirus (Covid-19) committee member Dr Jameela Al Salman.

In Bahrain, so far, 85pc of the infected are men.

Out of the 3,451 cases of which details have been announced by the Health Ministry on its website dedicated to Covid-19, 2,985 are men which include citizens and expats.

There are only 466 females, which are also a mix of all nationalities.

Dr Salman, who is also the Health Ministry’s Infectious and Internal Diseases consultant at Salmaniya Medical Complex, backed the most popular theory for this – the presence of a particular enzyme in male lungs which helps the coronavirus to remain there.

“Men generally in all the countries are more prone to get infected, and they are 60pc to 75pc more compared with females, as studies show,” said Dr Al Salman.

“One of the main reasons that studies attribute to this is that they are more exposed to complications.

“There are many theories on this, but nothing has been confirmed.

“That they are more exposed to contacts could be one reason.

“Another finding is that men have more cardiologic diseases and more angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and hence are exposed to Covid-19.

“Some studies also say that women have more immunity over men – but these are all theories that are being reviewed.”

A study published in European Heart Journal on May 10 found higher concentrations of ACE2 in males compared with women.

According to one of the authors of the study, Adriaan Voors, a professor of cardiology at the University Medical Centre Groningen, Netherlands, ACE2, found in several organs including the lungs, binds with coronaviruses like the one which causes Covid-19, and allows them to more easily infect healthy cells.

Meanwhile, studies also cite that men are 50pc more likely than women to die from Covid-19.

They are also 2.5 times more likely to suffer from severe symptoms than women, according to a study published in April in the Lancet health journal.

In Bahrain, 70pc of the Covid-19 fatalities were men – seven out of 10, six citizens and one expatriate.

All of the deceased had underlying chronic health conditions, according to the Health Ministry.

Research scholars attribute this to differences in social behaviour including increased smoking and poorer hygiene compared with women, and sex hormones that affect immune system responses.

Also, pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes could also worsen the infection.

The World Health Organisation reported in March that 70pc of Covid-19 deaths in Western Europe were of men, while the Italian National Health Service recorded the same.

Bahrain to date has registered 6,665 cases which include 3,890 active cases, 2,753 recoveries and 12 deaths.

Of the active cases, three remain in critical condition. The country has to date conducted 228,573 tests.