First wave of SARS‐COV2 in Europe: Study and typology of the 15 worst affected European countries

Abstract

Since 11 March 2020 when officially declared a global pandemic, Covid‐19 (or SARS‐COV2) has turned out to be a multifaceted disease differently affecting countries and individuals. What makes certain countries more vulnerable than others has attracted the interest of scientists from various disciplines. This paper intends to compare the impact of demographic parameters, population health conditions and policy actions on prevalence and fatality levels of Covid‐19 during the first 3 months since its declaration of global pandemic. A country‐level exploratory analysis has been conducted in order to assess how demography, national health conditions and measures taken interact and condition the disease outcomes. Analysis relies on publicly available data on Covid‐19 reported cases, deaths and number of persons tested. Those data are combined with demographic parameters (sex ratio, mean age, population density and life expectancy), health data (cardiovascular death rate, diabetes prevalence, share of smokers among males and females and number of hospital beds) and information about relative national policies aiming the management of the pandemic (lockdown timing and duration). Our analysis confirms the diversity of factors and the complexity of their interaction in explaining the propagation and fatality of the disease across Europe. Our findings question some well‐established attitudes concerning the role of demographic variables and public health conditions in the spread of the disease.

Impact of biologics and small molecules for inflammatory bowel disease on COVID‐19‐related hospitalization and mortality: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…This observed variation can be explained by the different thresholds of hospitalization among different countries. 37,38 Our study also showed that biologics without immunomodulators were associated with decreased COVID-19-related hospitalization in patients with IBD. Several studies 11,39,40 described the rationale for trying anti-TNF therapies in COVID-19.…”

“…Our study indicated that the percentage of hospitalization differed in each country. This observed variation can be explained by the different thresholds of hospitalization among different countries 37,38 …”

Trends and Risk Factors of In-Hospital Mortality of Patients with COVID-19 in Germany: Results of a Large Nationwide Inpatient Sample

“…During January 2021, at the peak of the pandemic in the United States, 79% of the hospital beds at the ICUs were occupied by COVID-19 patients despite a general urge for available ICU capacities for other acute diseases and surgeries [12]. In Europe, the fatality of the pandemic during the first months of 2020 was high, with a case-fatality rate of 8.3% and 250 deaths per one-million citizens [13]. However, significant variations regarding deaths per million infections and the in-hospital case-fatality rate across the European countries were observed [13].…”

“…In Europe, the fatality of the pandemic during the first months of 2020 was high, with a case-fatality rate of 8.3% and 250 deaths per one-million citizens [13]. However, significant variations regarding deaths per million infections and the in-hospital case-fatality rate across the European countries were observed [13]. The number of deaths per million citizens was lowest in Slovakia and highest in Belgium, while Germany was located in the middle [13].…”

“…However, significant variations regarding deaths per million infections and the in-hospital case-fatality rate across the European countries were observed [13]. The number of deaths per million citizens was lowest in Slovakia and highest in Belgium, while Germany was located in the middle [13]. The case-fatality rate ranged from 0.5% in Iceland and Belarus to 19.0% in France during the first months of 2020 [13,14], while our data also showed a high case-fatality rate of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Germany (17.9%) in the year 2020.…”