IL6 and infection: A number of genetic variants have been associated with morbidity and mortality, including variants in the angiotensin converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) gene, [60] the TMPRSS2 gene, [61] the IL-6 gene [62] and others extensively reviewed by Ishak et al. [63] The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, a massive ascertainment of nearly 50,000 cases from 19 countries has identified 13 genome-wide loci related to either initial infection, or morbidity [64].