Black men and women in Great Britain are said to be nearly twice as likely to die from coronavirus as the indigenous white population according to the Office of National Statistics.
The analysis by the ONS shows that inequality is persisting after age, where people live and levels of deprivation and prior health was taken into account.
People from South Asian communities – in particularly India, Bangladesh and Pakistan – is also said to show a significantly higher risk of Covid-19 fatalities.
The government has now launched a review into the major issue.
The ONS analysis combines data on deaths involving coronavirus with information on ethnicity from the 2011 census.
Men and women from Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities have an increased risk of between 30 and 80 per cent, the analysis found.
The ONS have suggested that some of the risk might be caused by other social and economic factors that are not included in the data.
It said that some BAME groups may be over-represented in public-facing occupations and so more at risk of being infected while at work.
Shadow Justice Minister, David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, said that the greater risk faced by Black people “was appalling”.
He Tweeted: ‘It is urgent the cause of this disproportionality is investigated. Action must be taken to protect Black men and women – as well as people from all backgrounds – from the virus.’
People from a Black background account for just over 3% of the population, but account for 6% of coronavirus fatalities.