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The paper will attempt to estimate factors which determine the variability of case fatality rates of COVID-19 across OECD countries in the recent time. The objective of the paper is to estimate the impact of government health policies on fatality rates (Case fatality rates) of COVID-19 in_OECD countries while controlling for other demographic and economic characteristics. The analysis is done using non-parametric regression method, i.e. Quantile regression. The result from quantile regression analysis shows that a policy of Austerity (health expenditure cuts) significantly increases the mortality rates of COVID-19 in OECD countries. The policy implication of the study is the need for a robust public-funded health system with wider accessibility to deal with major public health crisis like COVID-19 pandemic. ; No external funding was received by the authors or their institutions at any time received payment or services from a third party for any aspect of the submitted work.

BACKGROUND: Cholera is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in areas affected by natural disaster and human conflict. Northeastern Nigeria is experiencing a health crisis due to the destruction of essential amenities such as health infrastructure, sanitation facilities, water supplies, and human resources by Boko Haram insurgents. In 2017, a cholera outbreak occurred in five local government areas (LGAs) hosting internally displaced persons. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, Mĕdecins Sans Frontiĕres International, and several other organizations supported disease containment. An emergency operating center (EOC) established by the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) then coordinated the outbreak response. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of data extracted from the line list utilized by the SMoH to investigate outbreaks. We evaluated the outbreak by time, place, and person. Attack rate by LGA and age-specific case fatality rate (CFR) was calculated based on cases with complete records for age, sex, place of residence, date of symptom onset, and disease outcome. RESULTS: A total of 5889 cholera cases were reported from five LGAs with an overall attack rate of 395.3/100,000 population. Among 4956 cases with documented outcome, the overall CFR was 0.87%, with CFR ranging from 0% to 6.98% by LGA. The age-specific CFR was highest among those aged ≥60 years (1.92%) and least among those aged 20–29 years at 0.3%. The epidemiological curve revealed two peaks that coincided with periods of heavy rain and flooding. CONCLUSION: This study reports on the largest ever documented cholera outbreak in five LGAs in Borno State. The outbreak was focused in LGA hit hardest by the destructive activities of insurgents and then spread to neighboring LGAs. The low CFR recorded in this cholera outbreak was achieved through timely detection, reporting, and response by the coordinated efforts of the EOC established by the SMoH that harmonized the outbreak response.

Background: According to recent figures, Amsterdam is the municipality with the highest absolute number of suicides and the second highest suicide rate in the Netherlands. Aims: The aim of the study was to identify time trends and demographic differences in the occurrence of nonfatal suicide attempts versus suicides. Methods: We used registrations of forensic physicians and ambulance services of the Municipal Health Service of Amsterdam to study 1,004 suicides and 6,166 nonfatal attempts occurring in Amsterdam over the period 1996–2005. Results: The number of nonfatal attempts declined from 1996 to 2005, but the number of completed suicides remained relatively stable. Although case fatality was strongly associated with method used, we also found higher case fatalities for men and older people independent of method. Conclusions: The case fatality results suggest differences in motive among different demographic groups: possibly the wish to die is stronger among men and elderly. This finding had implications for the success to be expected from different preventive measures.