The Epidemiological Characteristics of an Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) — China, 2020

Published 17th February 2020

This study from the Chinese CDC includes over 72,000 COVID-19 cases and provides valuable epidemiological information around case fatality rate in different age groups, co-morbidities and gender.

Case fatality rate in the over 80s was 14.8%, compared with 8% for patients aged 70-79 and 3.6% for those aged 60-69.

Overall case fatality rate in men was 2.8% compared with 1.7% in females.

In terms of co-morbidities, cardiovascular disease was associated with the highest fatality rate of 10.5%.

1,716 health workers were infected (representing 3.8% of confirmed cases). Of these cases in health workers, 14.8% were severe or critical and 5 people died (case fatality rate 0.3%).

Almost 50% of patients with critical illness (organ failure or requiring ventilation) died.

Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China

Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Published 24th February 2020

This paper in JAMA provides an excellent concise summary of the key results from the above study from the Chinese CDC.

Author: Dr Daniel Livingstone, MedShr - Health Education England Fellow