Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 Still More Likely To Die Than Those Hospitalized With Influenza, Though Gap Is Closing, Study Finds

MedPage Today (5/15, Kahn) reports, “Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were more likely to die than those hospitalized with influenza during the fall and winter of 2023-2024, according to an analysis of Veterans Affairs data.” The analysis found “5.7% of patients with COVID-19 died within 30 days of admission versus 4.24% of patients with influenza, reported” researchers in JAMA. That means “the risk of death in people hospitalized for COVID-19 was 35% higher (adjusted HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10-1.66), the authors detailed in a research letter.” But “the results did reveal that the risk of mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had fallen when compared to the previous 2022-2023 season,” when “COVID was about 60% more deadly than the flu in patients hospitalized for the illnesses.”