Nationwide analysis of COVID-19 death rate throughout the pandemic in Italy

Abstract

Background: No definitive epidemiological evidence is available on SARS-CoV-2 lethality during the surge of different variants of concern (VoCs) and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in relation to Influenza virus fatality. Methods: We collected and longitudinally analyzed official data about new COVID-19 cases and COVID-9 related deaths throughout the pandemic in Italy, which were then compared with the recent flu-related fatality rate. Results: The mortality rate of COVID-19 has declined from 3.53% during predominance of the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain to 0.26-0.21% after surge of the new Omicron sublineages BA.1/2 and BA.4/5, when the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine coverage with primary cycle and booster doses has been concomitantly extended to 90.2% and 84.5% of the general population ≥12 years, respectively. The death rate of COVID-19 was approximately 11-fold higher than that of flu (i.e., 3.53% versus 0.32%) at the beginning of the pandemic, but has then become 36% lower after widespread COVID-19 vaccine coverage and surge of Omicron sublineages BA.4/5. Conclusions: Although our data seem to underline a reassuring epidemiological scenario, with the death rate of COVID-19 currently lower than that of influenza in Italy, we reemphasize the importance of preventing further surge of aggressiveness (and potential lethality) of SARS-CoV-2, especially in the most vulnerable parts of the population.

COVID-19 and its long-term sequelae: what do we know in 2023?

“…32 Although it is challenging to dissect the effect of natural and vaccination -elicited immunity on the progressive mitigation of viral pathogenicity to explain the attenuated clinical severity seen after the emergence of the Omicron variants, it is undeniable that the clinical impact of these sublineages has considerably decreased over time, 33 together with a COVID -19-related mortality rate that has become even lower than that of common influenza at the end of 2022. 34 Whether or not an attenuated clinical phenotype in patients with recent SARS -CoV -2 infection would translate into a lower risk of developing long -COVID remains controversial. In an earlier study, Antonelli et al 35 followed nearly 56 000 adults from the United Kingdom diagnosed with SARS -CoV -2 infection between December 2021 and March 2022, and concluded frequent complaints, followed by joint pain, palpitations, dizziness, cough, and headache.…”

Clinico-Epidemiological Characteristics and Survival Outcomes of COVID-19 Infection in Kassala, Eastern Sudan

“…Then the infection spread quickly, sparing almost no country in the world. As of 12th November 2022, more than 630 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally, including more than 6.5 million deaths [6].…”