Covid-19 fatality rate

Available for over a year

The question of just how dangerous Covid-19 really is, is absolutely crucial. If a large number of those who are infected go on to die, there could be dreadful consequences if we relaxed the lockdowns that have been imposed across much of the world. If the number is smaller, for many countries the worst might already be behind us. But the frustrating thing is: we’re still not sure. So how can we work this crucial number out? (An Indian health official inside a COVID-19 mobile testing van uses a nasal swab to collect a sample from a man in New Delhi, India. Photo credit: Yawar Nazir/Getty Images)