March 15. Gender Difference in Coronavirus Mortality
We have recently looked at Coronavirus mortality in Italy, where it is severely skewed to 80% male and 20% female. We look for the gender differences elsewhere as well.
An analysis of the first 1,023 deaths in China up to Feb. 11, with 72,314 cases, shows that while men and women caught the Coronavirus at the same rate, the death rate among males was 2.8%, while that from women was less, at 1.7%. If you take 0.9% and divide it into the numbers, it looks like a 3:2 ratio. More exactly, 2.7/1.7 = 1.59, or men’s death rate was 60% higher than women in China. More precisely, the ratio would be 8:5.
The same study showed that the fatality rate was 49% among critical cases. Those in their 70s had an 8% fatality rate, and those 80 and above had an 14.8% fatality rate. This is very similar to the Italian rates. This is before the Chinese infection rate declined and most of the cases lasted until they were recovered, similar to the problem with the Italian data. The overall death rate was 2.3% in this Chinese study. Since those with milder symptoms had trouble getting tested or cared for, the overall rate could be much lower. Their hospital system was also overwhelmed.
Chinese men smoked more, and also were less likely to wash their hands. In China, 63% of men smoke, with fewer female smokers. If smoking is a risk factor, the mortality rate could be lower for the US, where in 2018 only 13.7% or 34 million smoke. 16 million Americans live with a smoking related disease. It is said that there also may have been a gender bias in getting treatment in China.
Another Chinese study showed that those who had another disease, had an increased 79% chance of requiring intensive care and of dying. With two or more diseases, the cases had an increased need and dying by a factor of 2.5. For Covid-19 risk, those with cancer had 3.5 times raised risk, COPD 2.6-fold, and diabetes or hypertension 60% increased risk.
The cause of the mortality difference could also have been more diseases among men, but accounts of the study did not comment on this. Such greater occurrence could account why men have lower lifespans than women.
In the US, 60% of adults have at least one underlying health condition.
The CDC has recommended that for 8 weeks, we limit gatherings to 50 people. Here’s my question. If everybody infected shows symptoms in 14 days, and if we had complete and rapid testing, we could quarantine everybody how has it in say 15 days, and the US or world would be over and done with it. Two million tests will be available this week. Somehow, I believe them — for the fifth time.
There are now 27 million schoolchildren out of school, out of a total of 56 million children, that is half. For 25 states it is statewide. NY city, LA, and Houston have closed.
There are now 17 cases in Orange County, California. Last Thursday there were 6.
I’m going to do my calculations early tonight, at 9:30 pm.
The US total of cases tonight is 3,774. Subtracting the 66 confined from ships, gives 3,708 land cases. That is 823 greater than yesterday’s 2,885. The ratio of increase is 823/2885 = 28.5%.
There are 69 deaths, 42 in WA, 6 in CA, 5 in FL, and other states with 2 or 1.
California has 431 cases tonight, which is 63 greater than yesterday’s 368. The increase ratio is 63/368 = 17.1%.
