Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

The coronavirus fatality rate might be around 3.4%, World Health Organization warns

The spread can still be contained, but we need sustained action.

Fermin Koop by Fermin Koop
March 4, 2020
in Diseases, Health, News, Science

About 3.4% of confirmed cases of coronavirus have ended up in deaths — much higher than previously estimated and well above the death rate of the seasonal flu at about 1-2%, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced.

Image credits: Wikipedia Commons.

The spread of the virus around the world can still be contained, said WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. If we can implement strong action, there is still a chance of containing the virus.

“COVID-19 spreads less efficiently than flu. The transmission does not appear to be driven by people who are not sick, and it causes more severe illness than flu. There are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics, and it can be contained, which is why we must do everything we can to contain it,” Ghebreyesus said in a press conference.

The WHO head emphasized that there are 122 countries without a single coronavirus case and another 21 with only one person infected by the virus discovered last January in the city of Wuhan in China.

But at the same time, he warned about the “rapid depletion” of protective equipment such as masks and lenses to the expansion of the new coronavirus throughout the world, calling manufacturers to “urgently increase the production”

“WHO has sent nearly half a million personal protective equipment to 27 countries, but the reserves are rapidly depleted,” he added. The WHO estimated that only this March will require 89 million chinstraps, 76 million gloves and 1.6 million protective glasses.

China has reported 90,893 cases (including 3,110 deaths), while outside that country there are 1,848 cases of coronavirus. 80% of the latter are concentrated in only three countries: Italy, South Korean and Iran, now challenged by a lack of protective equipment for medical personnel.

Ghebreyesus urged governments to continue implementing strong action but also urged manufacturers of protective gear (masks, gloves, and goggles) to increase production.

Data from the Chinese government shows that the mortality rate in the country is about 3.7 percent, with most deaths reported in Wuhan and the surrounding province of Hubei. But, as the virus travels fast around the world, the spread appears to be slowing in China.

In Italy, 27 more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of diseased so far to 79. The government announced new measures to contain the spread of the virus such as classifying areas of the country based on the level of risk and ordering people to keep a distance of one meter between each other.

Meanwhile, in the US, two people that died last week in Seattle were found to have been infected with the coronavirus. That increased the death toll in the US to nine, raising the alarm in the Seattle area, where all the deaths were detected. Local authorities are working to assess the risk in schools, medical centers, and businesses.

South Korea reported 516 new cases this week, bringing the total number of infected patients to 5,328, including 32 deaths. Nearly 90 percent of the patients were residents of Daegu, a southeastern city, and nearby towns. In Daegu, there were 4,006 patients, with more than half waiting for hospital beds.

In Japan, the number of infected people with the virus reached the 1,000 mark, with 706 of them being on the Diamond Princess cruise. Health Minister Seiko Hashimoto said the Olympics could be held later in the year, something dismissed by International Olympic Committee.

A higher fatality rate for Covid-19 is bad news, and it makes containment more important than ever. Despite the fact that there are already several Covid-19 clusters outside of China, WHO officials still believe we can contain the virus. It’s a story we’ve heard time and time again from Ghebreyesus: the window of containment is closing soon, but it is still open. For now, at least.

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Related posts:
  1. Coronavirus case fatality rate remains high, despite effective containment efforts
  2. Gonorrhea might soon become untreatable, World Health Organization warns
  3. Measles cases have tripled in a year, World Health Organization warns
  4. Progress in medicine drops breast cancer fatality rate by 40 percent, saving 322,000 lives
  5. “This is not a drill” — it’s time to pull all the stops on the coronavirus, World Health Organization urges
Tags: coronavirusWHO

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW