by © Absolut_photos | Dreamstime.com Switzerland’s Covid-19 death rate has been lower than much of the rest of Europe. A lower infection rate among older people appears to be one reason. The rates of deaths among those either recovering or dying have been particularly high in Belgium (40%), France (34%) and Italy (31%). In other countries such as Austria ...
Topics:
Investec considers the following as important: 3) Swiss Markets and News, 3.) Health, Coronavirus Switzerland, Covid-19 Switzerland, Editor's Choice, Featured, health, newsletter, SARS-CoV-2 Switzerland
This could be interesting, too:
Jane L. Johnson writes Contrived Scarcity and Antitrust Lawsuits—“It’s Not a Bag, It’s a Birkin”
David Gordon writes What Is Consent?
Lance Roberts writes Trump Presidency – Quick Thoughts On Market Impact
Robert P. Murphy writes How Can Mining Asteroids in the Future Make Us Richer Today?
© Absolut_photos | Dreamstime.com
Switzerland’s Covid-19 death rate has been lower than much of the rest of Europe. A lower infection rate among older people appears to be one reason.
The rates of deaths among those either recovering or dying have been particularly high in Belgium (40%), France (34%) and Italy (31%). In other countries such as Austria (4%), Germany (5%) and Switzerland (7%) they have been much lower.
There are many reasons for variations in these death rates. Among them is case counting. More extensive testing typically captures more healthy cases that recover, bringing down the overall death rate.
However, another reason is differences in the number infected across different age groups. The elderly are more likely to die from Covid-19, so if more of them catch it, the overall death rate will be higher.
In Switzerland, 35% of Covid-19 cases were found in people 60 or over. In Germany and Austria the rate was around 30%, similar to Switzerland. However, the percentage of Covid-19 cases among those 60 or over was more than 40% in France and more than 50% in both Belgium and Italy, 15 percentage points higher than in Switzerland and 20 percentage points higher than in Austria and Germany.
The percentage of the total population 60 or above across all these countries is broadly similar. Switzerland (25%), Austria (25%) and Belgium (25%) have slightly lower percentages than France (26%), Germany (28%) and Italy (29%), but the differences are relatively small.
This suggests that the spread of the disease to and among people over 60 has been significantly higher in France, Belgium and Italy. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, a smaller percentage of those 60 and over have been infected. This is likely to explain at least some of the difference in overall death rates between these countries.
You Might Also Like
Coronavirus: numbers in Switzerland slow further
By 14 April 2020, a total 25,936 cases of Covid-19 infection had been recorded in Switzerland, a rise of 3,683 over the preceding 7 days. However, despite the continued rise in cases there are indications measures to slowdown the spread of the virus are working.
Coronavirus: predicting post-lockdown Switzerland with positivity
As Switzerland moves towards easing Covid-19 social restrictions, some fear the virus will get away again. A key part of containing the spread is testing. One way to evaluate how comprehensive testing is is to look at positivity, the percentage of tests that are positive.
Coronavirus: infection rates in some Swiss cantons now higher than Lombardy
Lombardy, the region in northern Italy where the coronavirus outbreak first took off in Europe, now has fewer per capita cases testing positive for the virus than some Swiss cantons. Recent data from Italy show there were 179 cases per 100,000 in Lombardy. In Ticino, Switzerland’s worst affected canton, there were 329 cases per 100,000. Geneva (231) and Vaud (211) had Switzerland’s next highest rates.
Coronavirus: a test to see if you’ve had it is in the pipeline
Coronavirus testing has been rationed in Switzerland, reserving it for high risk more severe cases, although doctors retain discretion to have anyone tested. It is likely those that have been infected and have recovered will have immunity and no longer be able to act as carriers of the disease.
Coronavirus: the fallibility of fatality rates
Naturally, many of us would like to know the fatality rate of Covid-19. But at this stage it is guesswork. Here are some of the problems with two of the most popular fatality rates. The most popular calculation involves dividing the number deaths by the number of cases. Epidemiologists call this a naive case fatality rate (CFR). There are two ways to calculate this rate.
Coronavirus: Swiss test rate now higher than South Korea’s
This morning, Switzerland’s federal government announced the number of Covid-19 tests conducted so far in Switzerland. South Korea, a nation often cited among those with high test rates, now trails Switzerland on the number per capita tests it has conducted.
Coronavirus: loss of smell indicates “very high likelihood” of infection
While there is currently no scientifically proven link between anosmia (loss of smell) and Covid-19, more and more experts are saying the symptom is a strong indicator. Gilbert Greub, head of the microbiology department at the CHUV hospital in Lausanne, is one such expert. “Given the widespread Covid-19 epidemic, I think that everyone who has a problem tasting or a problem smelling has a very high likelihood of testing positive and should be tested.
Coronavirus: deciding who gets a ventilator
By 31 March 2020, there were around 326 Covid-19 patients in intensive care and 228 on ventilators in Switzerland. It is estimated that there are around 750 ventilators across the country. If the health system reaches overload, medical professionals in Switzerland might be forced to make the kinds of difficult decisions being made in neighbouring France and Italy.
Tags: Coronavirus Switzerland,Covid-19 Switzerland,Editor's Choice,Featured,Health,newsletter,SARS-CoV-2 Switzerland