logarithmic scale

COVID-19 total cases per 100 000 population from selected countries[75]
 

COVID-19 active cases per 100 000 population from selected countries[75]

Deaths
Main articles: COVID-19 pandemic deaths and COVID-19 pandemic death rates by
country
Further information: List of deaths due to COVID-19
Deceased in a 16 m (53 ft) "mobile morgue" outside a hospital in Hackensack, New Jersey

Most people who contract COVID-19 recover. For those who do not, the time between the
onset of symptoms and death usually ranges from 6 to 41 days, typically about 14 days.
[76]
 As of 26 August 2020, approximately 821,000[5] deaths had been attributed to COVID-19.
In China, as of 14 June, about 80 percent of deaths were recorded in those aged over 60,
and 75 percent had pre-existing health conditions including cardiovascular
diseases and diabetes.[77] Individuals of any age with COPD, obesity, type 2 diabetes
mellitus and other underlying health conditions are at increased risk of severe illness from
COVID-19.[78][79]
The first confirmed death was in Wuhan on 9 January 2020.[80] The first death outside of
China occurred on 1 February in the Philippines,[81] and the first death outside Asia was in
France on 14 February.[82]
Official deaths from COVID-19 generally refer to people who died after testing positive
according to protocols. This may ignore deaths of people who die without having been
tested.[83] Conversely, deaths of people who had underlying conditions may lead to over-
counting.[84] Comparison of statistics for deaths for all causes versus the seasonal average
indicates excess mortality in many countries.[85][86] In the worst affected areas, mortality has
been several times higher than average. In New York City, deaths have been four times
higher than average, in Paris twice as high, and in many European countries, deaths have
been on average 20 to 30 percent higher than normal.[85] This excess mortality may include
deaths due to strained healthcare systems and bans on elective surgery.[87]
Multiple measures are used to quantify mortality.[88] These numbers vary by region and over
time, influenced by testing volume, healthcare system quality, treatment options,
government response,[89][90][91] time since the initial outbreak, and population characteristics,
such as age, sex, and overall health.[92] Some countries (like Belgium) include deaths from
suspected cases of COVID-19, regardless of whether the person was tested, resulting in
higher numbers compared to countries that include only test-confirmed cases.[93]
The death-to-case ratio reflects the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 divided by the
number of diagnosed cases within a given time interval. Based on Johns Hopkins
University statistics, the global death-to-case ratio is 3.4 percent (821,909 deaths for
24,011,502 cases) as of 26 August 2020.[5] The number varies by region.[94]
Other measures include the case fatality rate (CFR), which reflects the percentage of
diagnosed people who die from a disease, and the infection fatality rate (IFR), which
reflects the percentage of infected (diagnosed and undiagnosed) who die from a disease.
These statistics are not timebound and follow a specific population from infection through
case resolution. Our World in Data states that as of 25 March 2020 the IFR cannot be
accurately calculated as neither the total number of cases nor the total deaths, is known.
[92]
 In February the Institute for Disease Modeling estimated the IFR as 0.94 percent (95-
percent confidence interval 0.37–2.9), based on data from China.[95][96] The University of
Oxford's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) estimated a global CFR of 0.8 to 9.6
percent (last revised 30 April) and IFR of 0.10 percent to 0.41 percent (last revised 2 May),
acknowledging that this will vary between populations due to differences in demographics.
[97]
 The CDC estimates for planning purposes that the fatality rate among those who are
symptomat