However, there was a significant correlation between EBV viremia and interleukin-6 (IL-6) level (Fig. 1, r = 0.621, p = 0.006) in COVID-19 patients, but not in non-COVID-19 patients (r = − 0.195, p = 0.438, Spearman’s rank-order correlation). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is COVID-19.