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Covid mortality down dramatically since start of pandemic, study finds

New research shows global death rates among patients in intensive care have fallen from 60% to 36%
Death rates among people who end up in intensive care with Covid-19 have improved dramatically since the start of the pandemic thanks to advances in treatment, new research has found.
The proportion of those worst affected by the disease who die from it has fallen from 60% when it first appeared early last year to 36% by October, the study of global trends shows.
That drop continues a positive trend that saw the mortality of almost 60% seen at the end of March decrease to 42% at the end of May, it reports.
The findings, based on 52 studies around the globe involving 43,128 patients, have been published in the medical journal Anaesthesia.
The five authors, all NHS specialists in intensive care or anaesthetics, were led by Prof Tim Cook, a highly respected authority in critical care who works at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.
However, the doctors who have undertaken the research caution that the huge progress seen in Covid mortality over the last year may have reached a plateau.
The emergence of new variants of coronavirus that have left more people critically ill could increase death rates, they say. Equally, the vaccination programme unfolding across the world could reduce the number needing potentially life-saving treatment in intensive care.
In this, their second meta-analysis of global trends in the number of deaths despite critical care, they say: “Overall, mortality in all studies is lower to the end of September (35.5%) than when we reported this to the end of May (41.6%).”
The improvement is due to the greater use of steroids such as dexamethasone and changes in the way Covid patients receive oxygen therapy and fluids and how the risk of blood clots is managed.
However, they add: “The decrease in ICU mortality from Covid-19 has reduced or plateaued since May 2020.”
Mortality in most regions of the world is now 30%-40%, they found. For example, the average in Europe is 33.4% and in North America 40%. However, mortality in Victoria state in Australia, which includes Melbourne, is unusually low at 11%. And it is unusually high, at 62%, in the Middle East, based on a study of four countries there.
The data they examined included figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland collected and published every week of the pandemic by the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC). Its latest report, published last Friday, shows that mortality was around 45% when the pandemic struck but is now just below 40%.
Dr James Doidge, ICNARC’s senior statistician, said: “Observed mortality
“While observed mortality has increased again in recent months, it remains less than would be predicted based on the characteristics of patients admitted. For example, 38% for patients
source: Denis Campbell
Levant
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- April 23, 2025
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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