Smoking can make people more susceptible to serious complications from a coronavirus infection, Reuters quoted the European Union agency for disease control as saying on Wednesday, citing scientific studies, although available data is still limited.

In its updated assessment of the risks caused by the coronavirus, the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) included smokers among those potentially most vulnerable to Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.

It also said data from China showed 80 per cent of people infected with the disease had only mild symptoms, but in Europe that percentage dropped to 70pc, as three in every 10 cases have required hospitalisation.