Smokers at 50% higher risk of developing severe diseases, death from Covid-19: WHO

30 May 2021 The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Friday warned that people who smoke tobacco have up to 50 percent higher risk of developing serious illnesses and dying due to Covid-19.

In a statement on WHO’s ‘Commit to Quit’ tobacco campaign, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said smokers can develop cancer, heart diseases, and respiratory illnesses from the coronavirus.

“Smokers have up to a 50 percent higher risk of developing severe disease and death from Covid-19, so quitting is the best thing smokers can do to lower their risk from this coronavirus, as well as the risk of developing cancers, heart disease, and respiratory illness…