In a blog post for international health journal Tobacco Controlby multiple tobacco and cancer experts revealed evidence has suggested an association exists between smoking and the severity of COVID-19 cases, in line with recent research showing smoking is associated with increased risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The post cites a study based on 1099 coronavirus patients which showed that 31.7 per cent of those with a history of smoking experienced severe cases of the potentially-deadly virus and had to be admitted to hospital.

Of those patients, nearly half were then admitted to an intensive care unit and required use of mechanical ventilation, or died.

“Tobacco smoking appears to be the most important avoidable risk factor for a poorer prognosis in COVID-19 in every country,” the authors of the post wrote.

RELATED: Follow the latest coronavirus updates

RELATED: Trigger that makes coronavirus lethal

Another article, written by a group of doctors and professors for peer-reviewed medical journal BMJ, said that while public health efforts have emphasised practising good respiratory hygiene and hand washing as means of coronavirus prevention, “the role of tobacco smoking in the spread and exacerbation of COVID-19 has received little attention to date”.

Smoking leads to lung damage, heart disease and cancer – health issues that authorities have warned make you more susceptible to the worse aspects of coronavirus.

But the repetitive hand-to-face movements can increase your chances of contracting the disease, which is transmitted through airborne particles.

“There has never been a better time to quit smoking to protect yourself from COVID-19,” respirologist at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver Janice Leung wrote, in another study published in the European Respiratory Journal about the relationship between smokers and the respiratory disease.

Compared with nonsmokers, smokers also get more colds and worse colds; have much higher rates of influenza infection; get more severe influenza and are at increased risk of bacterial pneumonia.

RELATED: How likely you’ll get sick, based on age

“You are about twice as likely to have severe COVID disease if you are a current or past smoker compared to someone who has never smoked,” head of respiratory medicine at Sydney’s Concord Hospital, Matthew Peters, told the ABC.

“Smoking is bad for your lungs and this is a particularly good time to not be a smoker and not have that damage going on.”

Professor Peters explained that by quitting smoking, you also reduce the risk of wound infections, chest infections and pneumonia – as well as heart attacks and strokes.

And by calling time on the habit now, “you will be less likely to have an acute heart problem or a common or garden-variety pneumonia” and “your need for acute hospital care will diminish” when the virus does eventually peak in Australia.

The national death toll from COVID-19, which has infected more than 6100 Australians, stands at 53 – while, according to statistics from the Cancer Council, tobacco-related illnesses kill around 15,000 Aussies each year.

If you are looking to stop smoking, you can call the QUIT line 13-QUIT or 13-7438 for free, evidence-based advice and support.