Diabetics, smokers and asthmatics are at a higher risk of falling severely ill from COVID-19 but only half of the rural and urban population is aware of this, suggests a new study by the Aga Khan University (AKU). Participants included 403 people across Pakistan who completed an online survey, 198 respondents in urban Karachi who were interviewed by telephone and 137 individuals who took part in door-to-door surveys in rural Thatta. Most rural residents (74%) also incorrectly believed mosquito bites to be a cause of COVID-19. Eighty-three percent of rural respondents thought that existing medicines can effectively treat the disease. Most urban respondents received their data from newspapers, television, radio and social media.

Source: Pakistan Today April 15, 2020 15:22 UTC