Clinical characteristics of 312 hospitalized older patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China

•Most of the patients with COVID-19 who need to be admitted to hospital are older.•Older patients with COVID-19 had much more co-morbidity, complications and mortality.•Age, SOFA score, APACHEⅡ score, platelet count＜125 × 109/L, d-dimer, creatinine＞133 μmol/L, interleukin-6, and lung consolidation on admission were independent risk factors for severe cases among older patients with COVID-19.•More attention should be paid to older patients with COVID-19.