Analyzing data, crunching numbers, showing trends and graphs of at times surprising parameters
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Numbers
A closer look at the numbers (07/11/20)
Globally, the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases went up from 290,000 to 430,000 last month; the daily death toll from 5200 to 6300. Europe is largely responsible for these increases. The number of infections more than doubled. The Old Continent had to mourn 62,000 deaths, adding 27% to its death toll.
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A closer look at the numbers (07/10/20)
One month ago, Israel was one of the worst corona hotspots in the world. It still is. Within a month,
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The perils of predicting death. Reflecting on 1,000,000 and 2,000,000
When on September 25, while the virus was about to claim its one millionth victim, the WHO stated that it was “not impossible’’ the global death toll could reach 2 million people by mid-2021, that sounded unusually daring. But was it really? We compared a few early and recent predictions.
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The Italian patchwork
After the dreadful toll the pandemic took this spring, Italy has gradually managed to limit the spread of the virus. Recently, the country received wide acclaim for its approach. But the peninsula is not off the hook. Large regional differences exist. Seroprevalence data have been misinterpreted by the media. Herd immunity might have been acquired in an area of 42,000 people, 0.07% of Italy’s population.
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Resistance against a COVID-19 vaccine
As protests against vaccination become more widespread and world leaders seem to consider shortcuts in the approval procedure of a new vaccine, support for vaccination could be waning. Does this show up in population surveys? We are compiling a rolling list of studies on the public view on vaccination. Your input is very welcome.
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A closer look at the numbers (07/09/20)
Between August 8 and September 7, global COVID-19 deaths and cases have again progressed in near-perfect linear fashion. But infections have risen by 42%, fatalities by 25%. And for each continent a different picture emerges.
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What do Luxembourg, UAE and Bahrain have in common?
Well, for starters, they are not big countries. The United Arab Emirates are roughly the size of Austria, with little less than 10 million inhabitants. Luxembourg and Bahrain are outright small. Luxembourg has the fewest inhabitants (614,000), Bahrain the smallest territory (780 km2). But it is not size that unites them, nor their fiscal regime. So what is it?
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A lower mortality rate: fact or artifact?
On June 29, the pandemic hit two milestones in one go: 10,000,000 infections and 500,000 deaths. Just 43 days later, the number of infections had also passed the 20 million mark. But while the positive cases had doubled, the death toll had only risen by 47%. Are we really looking at a decreasing mortality rate? Or is it merely a matter of more testing?
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A closer look at the numbers (07/08/20)
On August 7, the COVID-19 death toll has risen to 714,168. More than 19 million people are infected. Over the past 30 days, global deaths and cases have progressed in near-perfect linear fashion. But differences between continents are huge.
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