Skip to main content
The Actuary: The magazine of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - return to the homepage Logo of The Actuary website
  • Search
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Logo of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Main navigation

  • News
  • Features
    • General Features
    • Interviews
    • Students
    • Opinion
  • Topics
  • Knowledge
    • Business Skills
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Predictions by The Actuary
    • Whitepapers
    • Moody's - Climate Risk Insurers series
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
  • Jobs
  • IFoA
    • CEO Comment
    • IFoA News
    • People & Social News
    • President Comment
  • Archive
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Sections
  • News

Hundreds of millions face severe coronavirus risk in developed world

Open-access content CHRIS SEEKINGS — Tuesday 31st March 2020 — updated 2.38pm, Tuesday 5th May 2020

There are approximately 330 million people at risk of contracting a severe coronavirus infection due to underlying health conditions in nine of the world's largest economies.

web_global_iStock-1208593873.png

That is according estimates by epidemiologists at GlobalData, which studied the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes and some selected rare diseases worldwide.

They found that 15% of the population suffer from these underlying health conditions in the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Spain and China combined.

Katie Wrenn, associate epidemiologist at GlobalData, said that Italy, which has reported more than 11,500 deaths at the time of writing, provides an example of what can happen when vulnerable aren't protected quickly enough.

“We now know that severe and critical forms of COVID-19 are more common in the elderly and those with chronic underlying health conditions,” she continued.

“Italy failed to protect its at-risk population quickly enough, with the number of critically ill patients now exceeding the number of intensive care unit beds.

“Being able to quantify the proportion of a population with chronic underlying disease helps nations to prevent the spread of this disease, protect these at-risk groups and depressurise health systems by planning for the likely number of people who may require hospitalisation if they contract COVID-19."

The proportion of the population with underlying health issues in nine of the world's largest markets is shown below:

global data

The study assessed the prevalence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, heart failure and myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

This comes as actuaries offer their expertise to UK government agencies to help with the logistics of providing critical services to vulnerable citizens who require to be 'shielded' across society.

‘’Other countries must use the proportion of people at risk of developing severe COVID-19 to prepare their healthcare systems to cope with what lies ahead,” Wrenn added.

Image credit | iStock

You may also be interested in...

web_virus_iStock-506551290.png

COVID-19: Actuaries issue call to arms

The COVID-19 Actuaries Response Group has called on actuaries who can volunteer at least 25% of their time to get in touch with the group to help the UK government respond to coronavirus.
Tuesday 31st March 2020
Open-access content
web_olderworker_shutterstock

Spike in pension scams anticipated during COVID-19 outbreak

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have today urged savers not to rush pension decisions as scammers try to take advantage of them during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Wednesday 1st April 2020
Open-access content
Digital-lock-iStock-913017342.jpg

Coronavirus could be biggest-ever cyber security threat

The COVID-19 outbreak poses the greatest cyber security threat to businesses seen in recent times, according to the CEO of an identity authentication software company.
Wednesday 1st April 2020
Open-access content
web_piggy_bank_iStock-978520230

FTSE 350 pension deficit turns to surplus amid COVID-19 turmoil

The accounting position of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes at the UK's 350 largest listed companies moved from a deficit to a surplus last month, research from Mercer has found.
Monday 6th April 2020
Open-access content
2

COVID-19 forum for actuaries launched

A forum for actuaries has been launched to help the profession come together and learn how best to respond to the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Travel insurers expect record payouts this year

UK travel insurers expect to pay a record £275m to customers this year as coronavirus grounds flights across the world, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
Filed in
News
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Senior Reserving Analyst

London (City of)
Negotiable
Reference
149485

Senior GI Modeler - Capital and Planning

London (Central)
£ excellent
Reference
149436

Risk Oversight Manager

Flexible / hybrid with a minimum of 2 days per week office-based
£ excellent
Reference
149435
See all jobs »
 
 

Today's top reads

 
 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to The Actuary

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
Spread-iPad-slantB-june.png

Topics

  • Data Science
  • Investment
  • Risk & ERM
  • Pensions
  • Environment
  • Soft skills
  • General Insurance
  • Regulation Standards
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Reinsurance
  • Global
  • Life insurance
​
FOLLOW US
The Actuary on LinkedIn
@TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Facebook: The Actuary Magazine
CONTACT US
The Actuary
Tel: (+44) 020 7880 6200
​

IFoA

About IFoA
Become an actuary
IFoA Events
About membership

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to The Actuary Magazine
Contribute

The Actuary Jobs

Actuarial job search
Pensions jobs
General insurance jobs
Solvency II jobs

© 2023 The Actuary. The Actuary is published on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by Redactive Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ