Older age groups and country-specific case fatality rates of COVID-19 in Europe, USA and Canada

• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-020-01538-w
• Publication Date: 2020-10-24T15:02:24Z
• Authors: Christian Hoffmann; Eva Wolf
• Keywords: Case fatality rate; Age groups

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the association between percentages of older age groups among confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections and country-specific case fatality rate (CFR). Methods This ecological study analyzed data from 20 most severely affected European countries, USA Canada, in which national health authorities provided on distribution gender cases deaths. Results The proportion individuals than 70 years differed markedly ranging 4.9 to 40.4%. There was a strong linear 75 CFRs ( R 2 = 0.803 for all 0.961 after exclusion three countries with incongruent data). Each 5% point increase this group associated an CFR 2.5% points (95% CI 1.9–3.1). Conclusion Data Canada showed that variance crude COVID-19 is predominantly (80–96%) determined by who are diagnosed SARS-CoV-2. still far being homogeneous. Detailed demographic have be taken into account analyses COVID-19-associated mortality. We urgently call standardized collection authorities.