A new study has found that the ultra-rectangular Jewish community in London boasts one of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the world with 64%, the BBC said on Wednesday.
This figure is nine times the British average infection rate of around seven per cent and is reportedly “among the highest reported anywhere in the world,” found the School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine London.
Ultra-straight man dances protective face mask and gloves while walking in London’s Stamford Hill area during the pandemic
(Photo: Reuters)
The research used samples from approximately 15,000 members of the Orthodox Jewish community in London with 23,000 strong.
According to the BBC, the study took place over December, before another wave of UK outbreaks swept in, meaning conventional figures could be even higher.
The reasons behind these staggering numbers remain unclear, the researchers noted. However, Dr. Rosalind Eggo, co-author of the study, said religious groups and ethnic minorities have been at increased risk for disease at all stages of the pandemic.
An Ultra-Orthodox man walks the streets of London
(Photo: Getty Images)
While higher population density and poverty among the capital’s ultra-direct community may account for some of the excesses, Jewish men in Britain are still twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than in the United States. Christian contemporaries – even after adjusting for socioeconomic factors.
The average ultra-rectangular family counts between five and six individuals compared to the UK average of 2.3.