Hospital deaths 5 times higher for COVID-19 than flu, CDC finds

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are at a higher risk for death and health complications than those hospitalized with influenza, according to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Oct. 20. 

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CDC researchers analyzed EHR data from 3,948 COVID-19 patients hospitalized between March 1 and May 31, and 5,453 influenza patients hospitalized between Oct. 1, 2018 and Feb.1 at Veterans Health Administration facilities nationwide. 

Four study findings:

1. The percentage of in-hospital COVID-19 deaths was five times higher than that of influenza. Twenty-one percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients died, compared to 3.8 percent of influenza patients. 

2. COVID-19 patients were also at higher risk for 17 other respiratory and nonrespiratory complications including sepsis, renal and neurologic complications. 

3. Black and Latino COVID-19 patients were at higher risk for most complications compared to white patients.

4. The CDC said the report may help physicians manage the spectrum of COVID-19 complications in hospitalized patients. 

To view the full report, click here. 

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