Coronavirus three times more deadly than flu, leads to more respiratory complications: study



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A recent study published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine Journal shows that the deadly new coronavirus is far worse than the seasonal flu, being three times as deadly. As part of the study, a nationwide retrospective was conducted using the French national administrative database that included discharge summaries of all hospital admissions in France. The study included all patients hospitalized for COVID-19 from March 1 to April 30, 2020, and all patients hospitalized for influenza between December 1, 2018 and February 28, 2019.

Flu more deadly than Covid-19

According to the study, the diagnosis of COVID-19 or influenza comprised a primary, related or associated diagnosis. There were comparisons of the various risks associated with the virus. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were also performed among COVID-19 and influenza hospitalized patients. Funded by the French National Investigation Agency, it was observed that the presentation of patients with COVID-19 and seasonal influenza was different. The study says: “Coronavirus 2, severe acute respiratory syndrome, is likely to have a higher potential for respiratory pathogenicity, leading to more respiratory complications and higher mortality. In children, although the hospitalization rate for COVID-19 appears to be lower than that of influenza, in-hospital mortality is higher; however, the low number of patients limits this finding ”.

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(Intensive care support and mortality of patients hospitalized in France for COVID-19 or seasonal influenza, by age at admission. The date is for patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 between March 1 and April 30, 2020, and for patients who went for seasonal influenza between December 1, 2018 and February 28, 2019. Image credits: TheLancet.com)

(Intensive care support and mortality of children under 18 years of age hospitalized in France for COVID-19 or seasonal influenza, by age at admission. Dates are for patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 between March 1 and March 30 April 2020, and for patients who were hospitalized for seasonal influenza between December 1, 2018 and February 28, 2019. Image credits: TheLancet.com)

As part of the study, a total of 89,530 COVID-19 patients and 45,819 influenza patients were hospitalized in France. The average age of the people was 68 years for COVID-19 and 71 years for influenza. COVID-19 patients were observed to be more frequently obese or overweight, and more frequently had diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia than patients with influenza. However, people with influenza often had heart failure, chronic respiratory disease, cirrhosis, and deficiency anemia.

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Additionally, COVID-19 patients frequently developed acute respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, septic shock, or hemorrhagic stroke than influenza patients, but developed myocardial infarction or atrial fibrillation less frequently. The death rate was higher in COVID-19 patients than in influenza patients. Also, in adolescents, the death rate was ten times higher for COVID-19 than for influenza. It was also observed that COVID-19 patients were more frequently obese or overweight.

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Also read: Coronavirus: NHS warns UK Prime Minister that more Christmas relaxations could trigger a ‘third wave’

(Image credits: Unsplash)



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