COVID-19 Fatality Rate 2.3%... Male Fatality Rate 60% Higher Than Female

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The fatality rate of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients in China has been estimated at approximately 2.3%. The fatality rate in Hubei Province, the outbreak's epicenter, is about 2.9%, and around 20% of all patients have been reported to worsen to severe conditions. The fatality rate among males is known to be about 60% higher than that of females.

According to foreign media such as the Associated Press, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) investigated 44,672 patients confirmed with COVID-19 and published the results in the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology. The overall fatality rate of COVID-19 patients in China was about 2.3%. The fatality rate in Hubei Province alone reached 2.9%, while the rate in other regions excluding Hubei was around 0.4%. The fatality rate among male confirmed cases (2.84%) was 66.5% higher than that of female confirmed cases (1.70%). Approximately 20% of confirmed patients were reported to worsen to severe conditions.

The fatality rate increased sharply with age. The fatality rate for confirmed patients aged 80 and above was 14.8%, 8.0% for those in their 70s, 3.6% for those in their 60s, 1.3% for those in their 50s, 0.4% for those in their 40s, and 0.2% for those in their 10s to 30s. There were no deaths among infected patients aged 9 or younger. In particular, the fatality rate was higher in cases with pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or respiratory diseases.

Among infected patients, 80.9% showed mild symptoms, 13.8% suffered from severe conditions such as pneumonia or shortness of breath, and 4.7% exhibited critical symptoms including respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ failure. Regionally, 74.7% of all confirmed cases and 95.7% of deaths occurred in Hubei Province. By occupation, among confirmed cases, farmers and laborers accounted for 22.0%, and retirees for 20.6%, while retirees made up the majority of deaths at 46.1%. Chinese health authorities warned that although the number of patients showing COVID-19 symptoms peaked between January 23 and 26 and has since declined, there is a need to prepare for the possibility of a resurgence of the epidemic as Chinese people return to their workplaces after visiting their hometowns during the Lunar New Year holiday.