4 ms·
"Mine workers were mostly men (42/44); median age was 53.3 years. Eighteen of the workers had risk factors for severe COVID-19: high blood pressure (11/44), dia
by chiefalchemist 5y ago
"Mine workers were mostly men (42/44); median age was 53.3 years. Eighteen of the workers had risk factors for severe COVID-19: high blood pressure (11/44), diabetes mellitus (4/44), or obesity (4/44)."
"The overall attack rate was 54.5% (24/44); 87% were symptomatic, 65% with fever, and 22.6% with dyspnea. No clinically severe COVID-19 (1) was observed, and no patient was hospitalized."
This make sense. If more severe variants are more damaging (i.e. more severe symptoms, death, etc.) they are less likely to persist. The less harmful variants are more likely to carry on.
At the extrene, for example, look at Ebola. It's quick and it's deadly. Consequently, it burns out. On the other hand, a longer asymptomatic incubation period - long enough to get on a plane - and Ebola is going to be big trouble.
- scheme271 5y agoAll of this really depends on the specifics of the disease. For example, HIV is pretty much 100% fatal and it has remained so over the last 40 years. Syphilis and Leprosy also have high fatality rates and have been around for 2000+ years. If a fatal disease doesn't kill the host for a while then it can easily become more transmissible while still being very harmful.
- becuzThrowaway 5y agoWait, you think that HIV is still 100% fatal? What year do you think it is? Or maybe you mean untreated HIV?
- chiefalchemist 5y agoExactly. Long incubation period. Takes long to kill its host. The opposite of Ebola. If it were more like Ebola it would be must less likely to spread, if at all.