Black communities hit the hardest in US

The coronavirus is killing disproportionately more African Americans in some major cities in the United States than those in other racial groups, according to state health authorities and data.

In Chicago, 23 percent of residents are African Americans, but they account for 58 percent of COVID-19 deaths.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, African Americans make up roughly a quarter of the population but about half of coronavirus cases.

Louisiana's Department of Health on Monday became one of the latest state entities to begin reporting a racial breakdown of cases. It showed African Americans account for 70 percent of coronavirus deaths in the state, despite making up 32 percent of the population.

In Illinois, as of Wednesday, there were 462 deaths, according to the state's Department of Public Health. Of these, 43.3 percent were African American, 36.1 percent white, 8 percent Hispanic and 3.9 percent Asian (7 percent failed to self-identify).

Roughly 15 percent of the state's population is African American, while whites make up 77 percent, according to the latest census.

In Michigan, the Department of Health and Human Services started releasing official data showing the racial breakdown of cases and deaths on April 2. It showed that, while 14 percent of the population of Michigan is African American, 33 percent of coronavirus cases and 41 percent of deaths were in the black community.

And in New York City, data released on Wednesday by the city's health department showed that Hispanics make up 34 percent of people who have died of the virus but 29 percent of the population. African Americans make up 28 percent of those who have died, but 22 percent of the population, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Conversely, white and Asian New Yorkers have been less hard hit. In the city, whites make up 32 percent of the population and 27 percent of people who have died. Asians comprise 14 percent of the city's population but account for 7 percent of fatalities.

Racial disparities

US President Donald Trump spoke about the racial disparities on Tuesday at a White House news conference.

Trump said that African Americans were being hit hard by the coronavirus, representing a "tremendous challenge" for the nation.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at the news conference that existing health disparities have made the outbreak worse for the African-American community.

"So we are very concerned about that," Fauci said. "It is very sad. There is nothing we can do about it right now except to give them the best possible care to avoid complications."

As of Tuesday morning, at least nine states and Washington have included a racial breakdown of their coronavirus cases, according to USA Today.