Posted on 03/26/2020 12:44:48 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The nation now has the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 outside of mainland China
Editor’s Note (3/19/20): Italy reported 427 more deaths from the coronavirus outbreak on Thursday, raising the total from 2,978 to 3,405 in one day—now the highest number of deaths worldwide.
Deaths from the new coronavirus in Italy have soared in recent days, with the country reporting 463 total fatalities from the virus, out of 9,172 confirmed cases, as of Monday (March 9). But why are deaths in the country so high?
Outside of mainland China, Italy now has the highest number of deaths in the world from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. And the country’s fatality rate from COVID-19—at 5%—is much higher than the global average of 3.4%, according to the World Health Organization.
One factor affecting the country’s death rate may be the age of its population—Italy has the oldest population in Europe, with about 23% of residents 65 or older, according to The New York Times. The median age in the country is 47.3, compared with 38.3 in the United States, the Times reported. Many of Italy’s deaths have been among people in their 80s, and 90s, a population known to be more susceptible to severe complications from COVID-19, according to The Local.
The overall mortality rate is always going to depend on the demographics of a population, said Aubree Gordon, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan. In this case, the reported mortality rate is not “age standardized,” which is a way to adjust for the underlying demographics of a population, she said.
Given Italy’s older population, “you would expect their mortality rate to be higher on average, all else being held equal,” compared with a country with a younger population, Gordon told Live Science.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...
Pachymama’s revenge.
Italy also has a very touchy culture. Lots of hugging and kissing. It also has a very high number of smokers. That like the perfect breeding ground for Cornavirus with it long incubation stage
Bottom line, Italy is very kissy buggy, which under normal circumstances is nice, especially since so many cute Italian women, but in these time, not so advisable
You can’t fit all the s**t into a sneaker?
Actually, Northern Italy has the largest population of Chinese immigrants who work in the leather factories they sold to China in the 80’s/90’s/00’s they also also have direct flights to/from China to support the families and workers. That is why they are the epicenter in Europe for the Chinese Virus.
Yup - smokers. From my somewhat limited knowledge of old Italian men....they love sitting and drinking coffee or wine and smoking. So many of them smoke.
This article doesn’t mention the real reason, probably to be politically correct. It is that the garment industry in northern Italy has close ties with Wuhan China. There was an article about this a week or two ago.
“...Italy is very kissy huggy...”
Joe B.: And how about sniffy?
Elderly population, huge China connection....
And when they’re not hugging and kissing, they’re yelling at each other, literally “spitting” mad. Maybe I just knew the hot-headed ones lol.
“Hug a Chinese Day”?
Did they admit that was a bad idea yet?
And the virus spiked when they returned from the Chinese New Year......or so I have read.
No one who has ever been to Italy would even wonder. Their concept of ‘personal space is non-ecistant. Any crowd is pressed very tightly together.
Elderly population alone doesn’t explain it. Apparently, the virus spread like crazy specifically among older people. Not sure why. Do elderly Italian socialize more?
LOL. Naaaah. To much cooking with garlic
Has anyone bothered to ask what the typical numbers of deaths in Italy have been for the month of March in previous years? As far as I determine tell every single person who has died in Italy in the past few weeks has been counted as a CoVid-19 fatality. This must mean that no one ever dies in Italy in March otherwise.
I’ve read that Italy was reporting totals including coronavirus deaths. If so, it’s snookering Russia and China for the aid they’re sending.
Lol
Such a small point, the author missed it.
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