Why is Singapore's COVID-19 death rate the world's lowest

Singapore has the lowest coronavirus case fatality count globally, with just 27 deaths among the more than 57,000 people who have been infected with COVID-19 in the Southeast Asian island.

At 0.05%, Singapore's death rate is well below the global average of around 3%, according to data compiled by Reuters from countries that have recorded more than 1,000 cases. A comparison with countries with a similar sized population shows a stark difference - Denmark's death rate is around 3%, while Finland's is around 4%.

Further, nobody has died from the disease in Singapore for more than two months, according to its health ministry. The country’s leading disease experts said the following are the main factors behind the phenomenon:

INFECTION DEMOGRAPHICS

About 95% of Singapore’s COVID-19 infections are among migrant workers, mostly in their 20s or 30s, living in cramped dormitories and employed in labour-intensive sectors such as construction and shipbuilding.

While the parameters of the disease continue to be studied as the pandemic progresses, current global trends suggest its impact has been less severe for younger people, many of whom show few or no symptoms.

“Our care is conventional but done well; fluid management, anticoagulation and both proven drugs and participation in drug trials,” said Dale Fisher, a senior consultant at Singapore’s National University Hospital.

Singapore was already a medical tourism hub for Southeast Asia, with numerous private hospitals and high quality public healthcare facilities. It also built up bed space for coronavirus patients in cavernous exhibition halls and other temporary facilities to house those with mild or no symptoms.

This prevented the healthcare system from being overwhelmed so that attention and resources could be focused on the more severe cases, doctors said. Singapore currently has no COVID-19 patients in intensive care, while 42 are warded in hospital and a further 490 in temporary facilities.

Ref: Reuters