The World Health Organization has confirmed that the global death rate for the novel coronavirus is now 3.4%. Earlier estimation of Coronavirus death rate was 2%. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, the virus has killed more than 3,100 people and infected over 93,000 people worldwide. The death toll in Italy has also increased to 107 with over 3000 cases. The virus causes a disease called COVID-19 and the director of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom, said that globally, about 3.4% of reported COVID-19 cases have died. In contrast, the seasonal flu kills far less than 1% of those infected with it. The mortality rate of coronavirus will also change as more cases are confirmed on the daily basis. Experts predict the percentage of deaths will decrease as time passes and the number of confirmed cases continues to rise.
WHO Statement
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, “There’s another whole cohort that is either asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. We’re going to see a diminution in the overall death rate.”
Tedros shared differences between the coronavirus and other infectious diseases, like MERS, SARS, and influenza. He said that data suggests COVID-19 does not transmit as efficiently as the flu. People who are infected but have not yet become sick with the flu are major transmitters of the disease. This does not appear to be the case as much for Coronavirus. He added that COVID-19 results to a “more dangerous disease” than the seasonal flu. He explained that while people around the world may have built up an immunity to the flu over time, the novelty of the Coronavirus means no one yet has immunity. This means that more people are susceptible to severe infection.
Tedros said last week that the mortality rate of the disease can differ based on the place where the health workers diagnose the patient and treat them. He added that patients with mild cases of the COVID-19 recover in about two weeks, but those with severe cases may take three to six weeks to recover.
Older patients face the highest risk
A patient’s risk of dying from COVID-19 depends on several factors, including where and when they are treated, their age, and any pre-existing health conditions they might have before they got infected. COVID-19 have been reported in at least 80 countries, with a majority of the cases in China. A study was conducted last month from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It showed that the virus most seriously affects older people with pre-existing health problems. The data suggests a person’s chances of dying from the disease increase with age.
Notably, the research showed that patients ages 10-19 had the same chance of dying from COVID-19 as patients in their 20s and 30s, but the disease appeared to be much more fatal in people ages 50 and over. About 80% of coronavirus cases are mild, the research showed, and experts think many mild cases haven’t been reported because some people aren’t going to the doctor or hospitals for treatment.
Coronavirus Death Rate Increases Panic Buying of Masks
The outbreak has now led to a shortage of masks, gloves, and other protective gear. This puts lives at risk from the new Coronavirus and other infectious diseases. After this warning by the World Health Organization (WHO), the public began buying up masks and other equipment. This resulted to limited supplies for health care workers who are in the front line of the battle and need them the most. Masks can be useful only for people who are sick with a respiratory virus to ensure they don’t spread the illness to others. They are most useful for those health care workers who encounter the disease every day.
