IL-6 plasma concentrations were highest in COVID-19 patients who died followed by those who survived and healthy controls {Med: 117 pg/mL [interquartile range (IQR): 58.6–268.5] vs 5.96 pg/mL (IQR: 3.14–25.82) vs 1.42 pg/mL (IQR: 1.29–1.67), respectively, Kruskal–Wallis, P < 0.05} with significant pairwise differences between all groups (Fig. 1A). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and COVID-19.