The greatest threat posed by the new coronavirus is its rapid spread. However, its mortality is considered low , around 2% ; but we are talking only about an average. Obviously, the lethality of any pathology varies depending on several factors, such as the general state of health of the patient (if he presents comorbidities), his age and the effectiveness of the local health system in which he is found.
Do you want to know if your characteristics place you in a risk group? Keep reading.
The largest study of patients with the new coronavirus ever carried out (carried out in China with a sample of 70,000 infected) shows how the death rate progressively increases with age.
The following graph has been taken from Worldmeter, a real-time statistic updated by an international group of researchers and volunteers:
As can be seen, in adults under 50 years of age, mortality is less than 1%. As age increases, so does the fatality rate, reaching 3.6% in patients older than 60 years; 8% in those over 70; and it touches 15% in patients older than 80 years. Patients of advanced ages also register a mortality rate in confirmed cases of 21.9%.
Interestingly, in people under 9 years of age there have been no cases of death.
Why are children and babies less affected by the coronavirus?
According to the specialist in Preventive Medicine Daniel Orts, the same thing happens with the new coronavirus as with other viral diseases, such as measles or chickenpox “that it is better to happen as children.”
“In adults, viruses tend to be more florid, more symptomatic and more serious. In general, it is believed that it is due to the characteristics of the immune system of children. They are less affected by viral diseases because their immune system is immature; it does not react as much, or as seriously as adults. It is a fact that viral diseases in children are less symptomatic and less serious ”.
Does it affect men more than women?
It is a belief that the Italian authorities have suggested. However, there is no data to corroborate this uneven allocation. In fact, the percentage of incidence by sex is 55% in men and 45% in women; an unrepresentative difference.
How do comorbidities influence?
We must differentiate between death from coronavirus and death from coronavirus. Comorbidities or secondary diseases negatively influence the patient’s health status , and weaken their immune system. This makes it more fragile, not only when it comes to contracting other infections, such as bacterial ones, but also when recovering from an infection of any kind.
Thus, as we see in the graph, also taken from Worldmeter, the death rate of COVID-19 increases as comorbidities occur.
It barely reaches 1% if there are no secondary diseases, on the other hand, it can reach 10% if cardiovascular disease occurs. Cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and hypertension are also considered risk comorbidities.
In global terms, three-quarters of all those who have died so far from (or with) the new coronavirus are patients over 70 years of age or critically ill, with chronic diseases and with little life expectancy.
