Why such a low recovery rate in the U.K.?

[Sammi38]

Hi all,

Have been on worldometers and seen that in the U.K. the recovered rate in the confirmed and closed cases is only 10%? And the death rate is 90%. I’m not a data specialist or a statistician by any means, it just seems like a huge amount of deaths compared to other countries? Is there something that is skewing the results, or information that can tilt it one way or another?

Thank you.

We’re only testing people who have been hospitalised with the virus, so lots of people who have had it mildly and recovered won’t be counted.

Is it because most people arent being tested until they're very ill hospital?

I think it takes a while to recover and we are only testing hospital cases (so the sicker people)

I think there's something wrong there. 90% of what?

90% of what?

We aren't testing as much as other countries.

Thank you, yes that makes more sense.

It’s not 90% deaths. Where are you getting that from?
www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

Agree with PPs. As a nurse in elderly care, I would say it's definitely because we are only testing those who are seriously ill already.

For example, on my ward, patients have to have both a persistent cough & a spiking temp to be swabbed.

Deaths on worldometer for Uk is 1,228 out of 19,522.

We are hardly testing anyone

Sorry, totally missed that you said of the closed cases. You’re absolutely right.

Because not many cases have been closed yet & if most of those were tested because ill enough to need hospitalisation...

It means:

There have been 19,522 people in the UK who have been tested for coronavirus and tested positive. The vast majority of people who have been infected with coronavirus will not have been tested because they have not met the criteria for testing at the time so the real number will be much higher (possibly 10 or 20 times).

The 1363 cases that have "had an outcome" will only be cases that have been in hospital and documented by medical professionals or deaths because there will be no records of people who have tested positive but are well enough to recover at home. Many of the 19,522 who have tested positive will have recovered too but there will be no record of that if they weren't seen by a medic after recovery.

The 135 recovered will be people who have been so ill that they required hospital treatment but have recovered.

They’re choosing to record cases here differently to other places and only testing those are already ill in hospital. We’re also recording every death of someone who has Coronavirus A’s CAUSED by Coronavirus, which is unusual.

This is enlightening

www.spectator.co.uk/article/The-evidence-on-Covid-19-is-not-as-clear-as-we-think

Also, to be recovered they need to be testing negative - and if you are ill enough to be hospitalised you are contagious for up to 25 days from onset of symptoms, wheras non symptomatic people are only contagious for 7 days.

Our death rate looks higher as we don't test till people are hospitalised, so already very ill