COVID-19 is killing people, with and without underlying medical conditions – CBS News 8

Officials said underlying medical conditions are common in San Diego County's population.

SAN DIEGO Every day the death toll climbs from COVID-19, and statistics showing how many of those patients had underlying medical conditions, but those numbers represent people - victims of COVID-19 with families who loved them.

Bob Fria loved his family, his wife, his daughter, and his three grandchildren.

He also had a passion for cars.

He was 77. He stayed very active. He was a car collector. Worked on his cars daily, said his daughter, Nicole Wendell. He wrote a book on mustangs. He was personal friends with Lee Iacocca, and he was a historian worldwide.

Fria died in last month from COVID-19 while hospitalized in the ICU. His daughter wants people to know her father was much more than a statistic.

We were totally in shock that this could happen to my dad. He was as healthy as you could imagine a 77-year-old man to be. He acted like he was maybe 60 and it just struck him quick, she said.

Fria had high blood pressure, but it was under control.

Hypertension is the most common underlying condition associated with COVID-19 deaths, according to San Diego County health officials. Other common underlying conditions include dementia, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, obesity and a compromised immune system.

But make no mistake, COVID-19 killed Bob Fria, not his high blood pressure.

Well over 50 percent of our population has at least one type of underlying medical condition. Hypertension alone is an underlying medical condition, said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the countys public health officer.

Their life is no less valuable than someone's life who does not have underlying medical conditions, Dr. Wooten said.

So, when we hear the COVID-19 death statistics each day, don't be fooled into thinking it only happens to people with underlying medical conditions.

It happens to people, who are loved.

Its no joke. It's out there. It takes healthy people, whether they're young or old. And, my dad was a victim of that, said Wendell.

Bob Frias wife, Joyce, who also has high blood pressure, contracted COVID-19 and recovered. His daughter and one granddaughter also are COVID-19 survivors.

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COVID-19 is killing people, with and without underlying medical conditions - CBS News 8