In this single-center case series of 333 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 in Shenzhen, China, we assessed and analyzed the clinical characteristics and potential predictors of disease progression and prognosis on admission and found the risk factors of males, older age, with comorbidities, low T lymphocyte level and high level of NLR, CRP, IL-6 can help to predict clinical progression of COVID-19 at an early stage. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and COVID-19.