Japan scientists say omicron variant proves to be more lethal than flu

Mar 03, 2022 | News On Japan

Mar 03, 2022 (Japan Times) - The omicron variant of the coronavirus is more deadly and causes more cases of pneumonia than the seasonal flu, several members of the health ministry’s COVID-19 advisory board have said in a provisional assessment that could serve as a warning for people to remain vigilant.

More than two years after COVID-19 began to wreak havoc in Japan and around the world, some experts believe the pandemic’s endgame may be in sight, but Wednesday’s finding is a reminder that the coronavirus still poses a threat.

The fatality rate wasn’t easy to determine.

It is extremely difficult to accurately assess the risk of mortality of COVID-19 and influenza because it is impossible to measure the actual number of people infected, so the experts generally rely on what is called a case fatality rate (CFR). That is calculated by dividing the number of confirmed deaths from the disease by the total number of confirmed cases. But CFR isn’t perfect and can both overestimate or underestimate the actual risk of death. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

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