Health
Smokers Up To 80% More Likely To Be Admitted To Hospital With Covid, Study Says
Smokers up to 80% more likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid, study says
Data also finds smokers more likely to die from disease compared with those who have never smoked
Smokers are 60%-80% more likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid-19 and also more likely to die from the disease, data suggests.
A study, which pooled observational and genetic data on smoking and Covid-19 to strengthen the evidence base, contradicts research published at the start of the pandemic suggesting that smoking might help to protect against the virus. This was later retracted after it was discovered that some of the paper’s authors had financial links to the tobacco industry.
Other studies on whether smoking is associated with a greater likelihood of more severe Covid-19 infection have produced inconsistent results.
One problem is that most of these studies have been observational, making it difficult to establish whether smoking is the cause of any increased risk, or whether something else is to blame, such as smokers being more likely to come from a lower socioeconomic background.
Dr Ashley Clift at the University of Oxford and colleagues drew on GP health records, Covid-19 test results, hospital admissions data and death certificates to identify associations between smoking and Covid-19 severity from January to August 2020 in 421,469 participants of the UK Biobank study – all of whom had also previously had their genetic makeup analysed.
Compared with those who had never smoked, current smokers were 80% more likely to be admitted to hospital and significantly more likely to die from Covid-19 if they became infected.
To investigate, Clift and his team used a technique called Mendelian randomisation, which uses genetic variants as proxies for a particular risk factor – in this case genetic variants that contribute to whether someone is more likely to smoke or to smoke heavily – to obtain further evidence for a causal relationship.
Even though the contribution of each of these variants is small and it is not necessarily understood why they increase a person’s chances of being a smoker, they avoid many of the limitations of observational studies and thereby help to give a clearer picture of whether there is a biological link between smoking and Covid-19.
“The study adds to our confidence that tobacco smoking does not protect against Covid-19, as their Mendelian randomisation analyses are less susceptible to confounding than previous observational studies,” wrote Dr Anthony Laverty and Prof Christopher Millett of Imperial College London in a linked editorial published in the journal Thorax.
The Mendelian randomisation analysis also supported the link between smoking and worse Covid-19 outcomes, finding that a genetic predisposition to smoking was associated with a 45% higher risk of infection and a 60% higher risk of hospital admission for Covid-19.
A genetic predisposition to heavy smoking was associated with a more than doubling in the risk of infection; a fivefold increase in the risk of hospital admission; and a tenfold increase in the risk of death from the virus, the team found.
Clift said: “Our results strongly suggest that smoking is related to your risk of getting severe Covid, and just as smoking affects your risk of heart disease, different cancers, and all those other conditions we know smoking is linked to, it appears that it’s the same for Covid. So now might be as good a time as any to quit cigarettes and quit smoking.”
Health
Confirmed Ebola cases in Uganda climb to 9

The Ugandan health ministry has said the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country has risen from three to nine.
Recall that the East African country last month declared an outbreak of the severe, often-fatal viral infection in the country.
According to Uganda’s health ministry in a statement late on Monday, ‘of the nine confirmed cases, one person had died, seven were being treated in a hospital in the capital Kampala and one was in a hospital in the eastern city of Mbale, near the Kenyan border.”
The ministry said all eight patients are in a stable condition, and 265 contacts of the confirmed cases have been placed under quarantine.
Uganda has launched a trial vaccination programme against the Sudan strain of Ebola, the World Health Organization said this month.
Existing vaccines are for the Zaire strain of Ebola, which was behind recent outbreaks in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Health
Nigeria reports 41,000 diphtheria cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that the country is still battling a significant diphtheria outbreak, with 41,336 suspected cases recorded across 37 states. These cases, spanning 350 local government areas, were reported between Epidemiological Week 19 of 2022 and Epidemiological Week 4 of 2025.
According to recent NCDC data, 24,846 cases (60.1%) were confirmed, 7,769 (18.8%) were discarded, 3,546 (8.6%) are still pending classification, and the status of 5,175 cases (12.5%) remains unknown. The outbreak is concentrated in a few states, with Kano leading with 23,784 suspected cases, followed by Yobe (5,302), Katsina (3,708), Bauchi (3,066), Borno (2,902), Kaduna (777), and Jigawa (364). These seven states account for 96.5% of all suspected cases.
Of the confirmed cases, 63.9% (15,845) occurred among children aged one to 14 years, highlighting the severe impact on younger populations. However, only 20% (4,963) of confirmed cases were fully vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine, exposing significant gaps in vaccination coverage. The outbreak has resulted in 1,262 deaths among confirmed cases, reflecting a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 5.1%.
The highest number of confirmed cases was reported in Kano (17,770), followed by Bauchi (2,334), Yobe (2,380), Katsina (1,088), Borno (1,036), Jigawa (53), Plateau (31), and Kaduna (44). Together, these states account for 99.4% of all confirmed cases. In the most recent reporting period, eight suspected cases were identified in two states across five local government areas. Six of these cases (75%) were confirmed as clinically compatible with diphtheria, with no deaths recorded, maintaining a zero CFR for the latest cases.
The NCDC emphasized the critical role of vaccination in tackling the outbreak, particularly as children account for the majority of cases. The agency has ramped up public health campaigns, improved surveillance, and deployed rapid response initiatives, especially in the hardest-hit states. It stressed that closing the vaccination gap is essential to prevent further spread and reduce the high fatality rate associated with the disease.
Diphtheria, a bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, primarily affects the mucous membranes of the throat and nose.
The bacteria produce a toxin that can create a thick grey or white coating in the throat, making breathing difficult. In severe cases, it can damage the heart, nervous system, and other organs.
Immunisation through the diphtheria vaccine remains the most effective preventive measure and is typically administered as part of routine childhood vaccinations.
Health
No cases of Ebola virus disease yet in Nigeria — NCDC

Following the fresh outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Uganda, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in collaboration with relevant ministries, departments, agencies, and partners through the National Emerging Viral Hemorrhagic Diseases (EVHD) Technical Working Group, has continued to monitor disease occurrences and has initiated measures to strengthen preparedness in the country.
According to a circular issued by the Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, strategies already implemented include updating the EVD emergency contingency plan, heightened surveillance, especially at points of entry, and optimizing diagnostic capacity for EVD testing in designated laboratories in cities with international airports and at the National Reference Laboratory.
“In addition, all Lassa fever testing laboratories can be activated to scale up testing if the need arises,” the statement added.
Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a severe and often fatal illness caused by the Ebola virus, with a fatality rate of 25–90%.
There are five distinct species of the virus: Bundibugyo, Zaire (the most fatal strain, responsible for most EVD outbreaks, including the 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa), Reston, Tai Forest, and Sudan (responsible for the outbreak in Uganda).
The infection is transmitted from animals to humans, with human-to-human transmission occurring through direct contact with body fluids (blood, saliva, vomit, urine, feces, sweat, breast milk, and semen) of an infected person, contaminated objects, or infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, porcupines, and forest antelope.
The virus can also be transmitted through contact with wildlife and unsafe burial practices.
The incubation period—i.e., the time from exposure to the development of symptoms—ranges from 2 to 21 days. During an outbreak, those at the highest risk of infection include healthcare workers, family members, and others in close contact with infected or deceased patients.
EVD symptoms include the sudden onset of high fever, headache, body aches, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea.
According to the NCDC, Nigerians are urged to strictly adhere to the following preventive measures:
“Practice good hand hygiene – Wash your hands regularly with soap under running water or use hand sanitizers when soap and water are not readily available.
“Avoid physical contact with anyone who has symptoms of an infection with an unknown diagnosis.
“Avoid the consumption of bush meat, particularly bats and non-human primates, which are known reservoirs of the Ebola virus. And if you have to, ensure that such is properly prepared and cooked before consumption.
“Avoid direct contact with the blood, saliva, vomit, urine, and other bodily fluids of suspected or confirmed EVD cases.
“If you or someone you know (with a travel history to any country with Ebola cases) experiences symptoms of EVD enumerated above, call 6232 or your State Ministry of Health hotline IMMEDIATELY for guidance.”
In its advise to health workers, the centre declared: “Our Healthcare workers are advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for EVD in their encounter with their patients. In the management of a suspected or confirmed case of EVD:
Calling for the strict isolation of the patients, the center cautioned Nigerians to: “Adhere strictly to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks, hand gloves, appropriate gowns etc.
“Report suspected cases immediately to the NCDC or State Ministry of Health for appropriate response and management.”
“In the travel guide advise given, the center declared: “Though the WHO advises against any restrictions to travel and/or trade to Uganda, the NCDC advises Nigerian citizens and residents to AVOID ALL BUT ESSENTIAL TRAVEL to countries with confirmed cases of the Ebola Virus Disease.
“Persons already in Nigeria but with recent travel history to or transit through countries with Ebola cases in the last 21 days who experience symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhoea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising should adhere to the following guidelines:
“Promptly call 6232 or State Ministry of Health hotlines for assessment and testing.
“Shelter-in-place to avoid further spread through shared transport systems (public or private) until health authorities reach out.
“Await dedicated responders for assessment and possible transport to a designated treatment center if required.
“On our part, we will continue to strengthen surveillance across the country, including our borders and airports especially for travelers from affected areas; alerting our health workers to heighten their level of suspicion for suspected cases; enhancing our laboratory capacities for quick testing of suspected cases; as well coordination with the WHO and the African Regional Health Authorities to monitor developments and share critical information.
“As you are aware, we continue to manage several other disease outbreaks, like Lassa fever, Meningitis, Diphtheria, Mpox, Measles and Anthrax, ravaging our communities. We will continue to provide periodic updates on these.”
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