RAZOR: Why are COVID-19 death rates falling?

08:00

Cases of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are on the rise again throughout Europe but there are positive signs the disease is not killing as many people.

As the northern hemisphere heads into winter, countries are experiencing a spike – or second wave – of cases. However, the number of people ending up in hospital or dying is far below the peak numbers in March and April.

Spain recently became the first EU state to record more than half a million cases since the beginning of the outbreak. While the majority of deaths have been of those aged over 70, there has been a rise in infections across all age groups.

In the U.S., there was a recent spike in cases among people in their 20s and 30s, followed by a spike in cases among older people who, it is presumed, picked up the disease from the under-40s. This has led to a jump in deaths and health authorities are concerned a similar pattern could occur in Europe.

While no one is safe from this virus, there are several factors driving a reduction in fatality rates.

Razor's Emma Keeling looked into the science behind it.