Numbers show COVID-19 deadlier than flu

The novel coronavirus 2019 is not like influenza.

“They’re completely different viruses. One is more deadly than the other. That’s a huge difference,” said Dr. Eric Miller of East Holmes Family Care.

Ohio has lost 2,970 people to COVID-19 since March 17. The loss is almost six times as many deaths as the most deadly influenza season over the past 10 years in Ohio. The state recorded 500 deaths caused by influenza during the 2017-2018 flu season.

An outbreak at two nursing homes in Wayne County resulted in 38 of the county’s 52 COVID-19 deaths. The 14 other deaths are still more than the nearly three influenza deaths averaged by the county over the last five flu seasons.

Holmes County has averaged 1.2 influenza deaths over the last five years. It has three deaths related to COVID-19. Ashland County has kept its numbers low across the board with one COVID-19 death, which is below the five-year average of 1.8 influenza deaths.

COVID-19 also presents a greater threat than influenza because “it is still unpredictable,” Nick Cascarelli, the Wayne County health commissioner, said in an email.

“While both are viral, can make you sick, and can be deadly, the reality is there are effective treatments and vaccines for seasonal flu,” Cascarelli said. “All of the best ways to beat this virus are nonpharmacological, i.e. wearing a mask, stay-at-home orders, social distancing.”

While those solutions would be effective against the flu, he added, they aren’t necessary due to the accessibility of vaccines and anti-viral treatments. One antiviral that is showing “some promise” for treating COVID-19 is Remdesivir.

New study

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on May 22 showed Remdesiver shortened the time of recovery in adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and evidence of lower respiratory tract infection.

“There have been decades of validated scientific research on influenza and its effects on humans. This is not true of COVID-19,” said Heather Reffett, health commissioner for the Ashland County Health Department, in an email. “We are learning new aspects of the virus every day and most of what we believe that we know has not been rigorously validated.”

COVID-19 also has shown no signs of slowing down due to seasonal changes like influenza, which typically presents in Ohio between early October and late May. Reffett and her department remain focused on the virus at hand rather than what’s possible when the next flu season arrives later this fall.

“We are still in the middle of a pandemic that is requiring the full resources of our health department,” Reffett said.

Hospitalizations due to influenza still outpace COVID-19 hospitalizations. Ohio has reported 8,383 hospitalizations due to the virus compared to the 11,005 hospitalizations in the last flu season.

Wayne County has reported 47 hospitalizations for COVID-19. It had 66 hospitalizations for flu during the most recent flu season. Holmes County has hospitalized 15 people for COVID-19 compared to the 24 hospitalized for flu. Ashland County had 38 hospitalizations for flu, more than three times its COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Wooster Community Hospital saw six of Wayne County’s COVID-19 deaths, but the hospital didn’t see the surge in patients that was feared in March. Bill Sheron, hospital president and CEO, attributed the low hospitalization rate to the early action taken by county health officials and the Ohio Department of Health’s public health orders.

“Most of the patients at the hospital have gone home or back to where they came from. And they haven’t been super sick either,” Sheron said. “We haven’t had a COVID patient in weeks.”

Miller also attributed the low number of confirmed cases and hospitalizations in Holmes County to social distancing observed by many in the county. He still urges everyone to wear a mask even if it’s uncomfortable at times.

“Most of us don’t need to socially distance or wear a mask for our own protection … but we should wear a mask for vulnerable community members and family,” Miller said. “(The masks) are uncomfortable. Our first week, we were all miserable wearing them. Now we’re used to it. It’s amazing what you get used to.”

Politics

Another possible distinction between COVID-19 and influenza is the politicization of the disease.

“Because of the politicization, we may have had a chance to decrease deaths and long-term spread of the disease that’s now running freely through our nation and it will take heroic efforts to slow it and stop it,” said Dr. D.J. McFadden, the hospice physician at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare in Holmes County.

McFadden compared the coronavirus pandemic to the measles outbreak in Holmes County in 2014, when he served as the county’s health commissioner. In that case, the communities affected by the outbreak quickly responded by getting vaccinated and businesses complied with requests for voluntary quarantines.

“I sit back, scratch my head, and think how did we get here,” McFadden said of the pandemic. “We have simple measures (for people) to protect themselves and others in the community that are vulnerable and the response seems to be, ‘I refuse to do that. You can’t make me do that.’”

Reach Emily at 330-287-1632 or emorgan@the-daily-record.com. On Twitter: @mogie242

CREDIT: EMILY MORGAN