Similarity in Case Fatality Rates (CFR) of COVID-19/SARS-COV-2 in Italy and China

TLDR

Italy had 888 SARS‑CoV‑2 cases by 28 February 2020, mainly in Northern regions, with travel‑related introductions and local clusters driving transmission and 21 deaths reported. The study aims to develop point‑of‑care devices that enable clinicians to stratify elderly patients early, determining the level of care needed to improve survival from COVID‑19. Case fatality rates in China and Italy are identical at 2.3 %, with deaths occurring mainly among elderly patients with known comorbidities.

Abstract

As of 28 February 2020, Italy had 888 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections, with most cases in Northern Italy in the Lombardia and Veneto regions. Travel-related cases were the main source of COVID-19 cases during the early stages of the current epidemic in Italy. The month of February, however, has been dominated by two large clusters of outbreaks in Northern Italy, south of Milan, with mainly local transmission the source of infections. Contact tracing has failed to identify patient zero in one of the outbreaks. As of 28 February 2020, twenty-one cases of COVID-19 have died. Comparison between case fatality rates in China and Italy are identical at 2.3. Additionally, deaths are similar in both countries with fatalities in mostly the elderly with known comorbidities. It will be important to develop point-of-care devices to aid clinicians in stratifying elderly patients as early as possible to determine the potential level of care they will require to improve their chances of survival from COVID-19 disease.