Case fatility ratio or rate (CFR) is the proportion of death within a population of cases over the course of illness. SARS had 0 to 50% CFR, dependent on age group. Susceptible ones are the elderly. Overall CFR is 14 to 15%.

Breakdown of CFR

• 1 % CFR for below 24 years old
• 6 % CFR for 24 to 44 years old
• 15 % CFR for 44 to 65 years old
• 50 % CFR for above 65 years old

Cause of death

• Septicaemia
• Kidney failure
• Respiratory system damages
• Cardiac damage

The virus gain entry through host’s ACE2 receptor. So, basically, most epithelial or endothelial cells lining respiratory, vascular, gastrointestinal and others are susceptible to the virus infection.

Reference

1. Update 49 – SARS CFR, incubation period (https://www.who.int/csr/sars/archive/2003_05_07a/en/, 7 May 2003)
2. How China’s coronavirus is spreading – and how to stop it (https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/26/2019-ncov-china-epidemic-pandemic-the-wuhan-coronavirus-a-tentative-clinical-profile/, 26 Jan 2020)