44 analysis of 672 patients with the coronavirus in China, the diagnoses of which were confirmed by laboratory tests, showed that 1023 persons died by February 11, which indicates a mortality rate of 2.3 percent.
According to experts, the collection and reporting of patient data in China was inconsistent, and the mortality rate can change, if they found additional cases of infection or death.
The mortality rate in the new analysis is much higher than that of seasonal flu, which is sometimes compared the new coronavirus. In the United States the death rate from seasonal flu ranges from 0.1 percent.
The analysis was published by researchers from the Chinese center for control and prevention of diseases.
If many mild cases do not attract the attention of officers of health, the mortality rate among infected may be lower than the study indicates. But if the mortality remain without recognition and analysis, the level may be higher.
The researchers found that about 81 per cent of patients with a confirmed diagnosis experienced mild illness. Almost 14 percent had severe cases COVID-19, the disease caused by a novel coronavirus, and about 5 percent had critical illness.
Thirty percent of the dead were aged 60 years and 30% aged 70 years and 20% aged 80 years and older. Although men and women were approximately equally represented among confirmed cases, men accounted for nearly 64 percent of deaths. Patients with major diseases such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes died more likely.
