Via the Pulse blog at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2009 H1N1 flu death toll: 400,000 worldwide. Excerpt:
The death from the 2009 pandemic flu outbreak was estimated at 400,000 people worldwide, according to new research.
The outbreak of H1N1 flu around the globe caused 230,000 respiratory deaths and when deaths from cardiovascular disease and other causes brought about by the flu are included, the number reached as many as 400,000.
That compares with reports from the World Health Organization of 18,449 laboratory confirmed deaths from the 2009 pandemic.
For the story, researches got weekly virology data from WHO and actual mortality data from 21 countries, accounting for 35% of the world's population. They used a novel statistical method to predict deaths in the rest of the world.
Among their findings: between 62% and 85% of those who died were under the age 65.
They also found a 20-times higher death rate in some countries in the Americas, including Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
Countries such as New Zealand, Australia and some parts of Europe had much lower rates of death.
The original report is said to be published in PLOS Medicine, but does not yet appear to be online. If the findings stand up, the next step should be to investigate the reasons for the disparities in death rates.
