Levels of LDH, ALT, AST, CK, D-dimer, and the proportion of cases with elevated LDH (13/36 vs. 131/265), CK-MB (5/35 vs. 165/270), PCT (2/34 vs. 78/209), CRP (5/38 vs. 80/281), ESR (5/36 vs. 35/62), IL-6 (5/34 vs. 62/168) and D-dimer (> 0.5 mg/L, 7/35 vs. 18/29) were lower in the COVID-19 pneumonia cohort as compared with the viral pneumonia cohort (P < 0.05). The gene discussed is ESR1; the disease is viral pneumonia.