Squashing the Corona
Australia has been very successful in controlling the corona virus which
causes the COVID-19 disease. Every day, on average, the number of
new cases of COVID-19 in Australia declines.
4 weeks ago, the cases of COVID-19 were increasing at an average of
24% per day, and this had been the average increase for the period
from March 14th to March 23rd. But since 23 March the growth of new
cases has declined and for the last week it has been 0.5% per day. The
average number of new cases per day in the last 3 days to 21st April
was only 25.
The death rate in Australia from COVID-19 has been among the lowest
in the developed world.
69 people have died from COVID-19 In Australia (as at 18 April), which
is a rate of 2.7 deaths per million population. This compares to a death
rate of 425 deaths per million in Spain, 220 per million in the UK and
112 per million in the USA. (The death rate in the USA varies from 881
deaths per million in New York (17,100 deaths) to 26 deaths per million
in California (1,040 deaths)).
Only a few other countries have been as successful as Australia in
keeping deaths and infections of COVID-19 at such a low level. The
successful countries/regions include South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong,
New Zealand and Iceland. China, where the epidemic originated, has
now controlled it, and the reported death rate there is only 3.3 deaths
per million. (Many developing countries appear to have a lower death
rate than Australia, but it is doubtful that their measurement of deaths
from COVID-19 is accurate).
Country/Region
Spain
Italy
France
United Kingdom
Sweden
USA
COVID-19 deaths/million
population
452
409
311
262
171
136
Germany
Greece 61
11.3
South Korea
China 4.6
3.3
St Margaret’s News
10
April 2020