New Delhi, March 11 Italy has recorded the highest fatality rate in the world due to novel coronavirus at 5 per cent, ahead of the outbreak epicentre in China.
According to data analytics on COVID-19, the fatality rate varies from country to country and is dependent on two factors quality of healthcare and average age of population.
Data shows that China had the highest number of confirmed cases at 80,738, with 3,120 deaths and consequently a fatality rate of 3.9 per cent.
After China, the highest number of cases are in South Korea at 7,478, with death toll 53, and a fatality rate of 0.7 per cent.
Surprisingly, Italy a developed country has the highest fatality rate at 5 per cent as of now, with 7,375 confirmed cases and 366 deaths.
Iran with 6,566 cases and 194 deaths has a fatality rate of 3 per cent.
The data suggests that the bulk of people recover from the coronavirus infection. Of the total worldwide cases, 40 per cent are currently ill while the bulk, 56.6 per cent, have recovered. Only 3.5 per cent of the infected died.
The infection is proving deadly for those with existing serious ailments. Of the total number of deaths reported, 10.5 per cent had existing cardiovascular disease, while diabetes was present in 7.3 per cent others, chronic respiratory disease was pre-existing in 6.3 per cent, 6 per cent had abnormally high blood pressure while 5.6 per cent had cancer. Only 0.9 per cent deaths were reported among patients who had no prior medical conditions.
While COVID-19 is a novel phenomenon and getting more attention in the mind space, the fatality rate is much lower than other known diseases worldwide. While 56 people are dying every day because of Covid-19, tuberculosis is accounting for 3,014 deaths, hepatitis B 2,430 deaths, pneumonia 2,216 deaths, HIV/AIDS 2,110 deaths, malaria 2,002 deaths, and seasonal flu 1,027 deaths.
Yellow fever, rabies, measles, meningitis, cholera, typhoid, whooping cough, noravirus, rotavirus are all claiming more deaths than coronavirus, as of now.
The average number of people infected by each sick person is 1.5 to 3.5.
According to data, those aged 60 plus are most at risk and the fatality rate goes up with age. A total of 14.8 per cent deaths were reported in China in the 80 plus age group, 8 per cent in 70 plus, 3.6 per cent in 60 plus, 1.3 per cent in 50 plus, 0.4 per cent in 40 plus, 0.2 per cent in 30 plus, 20 plus and 10-19 age groups.
No fatality is known in the 0-9 age group. This data comes from the first wave of infections in Wuhan, China where lung health is poor and smoking rates are high.
( With inputs from IANS )