Estimation of SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality rate by age and comorbidity status using antibody screening of blood donors during the COVID-19 epidemic in Denmark.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies presenting the SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality rate (IFR) for healthy individuals are warranted. Here we estimate the IFR by age and comorbidity status using data from a large serosurvey among Danish blood donors and nationwide data on COVID-19 mortality.

Methods

Danish blood donors aged 17 to 69 years donating blood between October 2020 and February 2021 were tested with a commercial SARS-CoV-2 total antibody assay. IFR was estimated for weeks 11 to 42, 2020 and for week 43, 2020 to week 6, 2021, representing the first two waves of the COVID-19 epidemic in Denmark.

Results

In total, 84,944 blood donors were tested for antibodies. The seroprevalence was 2% in October 2020 and 7% in February 2021. Among 3,898,039 Danish residents aged 17 to 69 years, 249 deaths were recorded. The IFR was low for people younger than 51 years without comorbidity during the two waves (combined IFR = 3.36 per 100,000 infections). The IFR was below 3‰ for people aged 61 to 69 years without comorbidity. IFR increased with age and comorbidity but declined from the first to the second wave.

Conclusions

In this nationwide study, the IFR was very low among people younger than 51 years without comorbidity.

SUBMITTER: Kaspersen KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8689980 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature