More than 70 per cent of Italy's coronavirus deaths have been among men but scientists there admit they are mystified by the gender gap. At least 3,400 people in Italy have died of the devastating disease - it yesterday announced it had a higher death toll than China - but less than 1,000 of them have been women. Men are also more likely to pick up the infection in the first place and account for 60 per cent of confirmed cases, according to Italy's public health research agency. An earlier analysis found the figures were even higher - that 80 per cent of the deaths were in men and just 20 per cent were in women - but the gap has narrowed over time. Research in China, where the pandemic started and outbreaks are now petering out, shows that at least two thirds of patients who died were male. A reliable male to female ratio is not clear in the UK because the epidemic is still in its early stages and the death toll is considerably lower than in other nations. Scientists say they don't know why women seem less likely to die, but have suggested that women naturally tend to have stronger immune systems and are less likely to have long-term health conditions which make patients more vulnerable. In China, researchers pointed the finger at men being more likely to smoke and drink, but this was a cultural factor which may be different in other countries. It may be necessary for men to be more careful than women about avoiding the coronavirus, experts said. Source
