As of March 16th, the number of deaths due to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outside China has surpassed those in China. Intriguingly, recent calculations that adjust for an incubation period of up to 14 days estimate that the mortality rates from COVID-19 infection in China are nearly three times lower than outside of China [1]. It should be realized that, amongst others differences, China is known for having very high sodium intake compared to other countries in the world [2]. Human pathogenic coronaviruses bind to their target cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2), which is expressed in epithelial cells of the lung, intestine, kidney, and blood vessels [3].
