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Why Is Germany Handling COVID-19 Better than the Rest of Europe?
April 3, 2020
As the coronavirus spreads across the globe, some countries are dealing with COVID-19 better than others. Spain and Italy have been hotspots in Europe, with over 100,000 cases each. Germany has also been hard hit, but seems to be managing the crisis much better than its European neighbors.
As of Friday, Germany had nearly 85,000 confirmed cases, but has seen just 1,100 deaths, giving it one of the lowest mortality rates in the region at about 1%. Italy, by comparison, is seeing a mortality rate of about 11%.
The difference comes down to Germany’s approach to testing. Whereas countries like the U.K. and Italy are testing only the most severe patient, Germany implemented widespread testing early. This means that they are testing people with only mild symptoms, and since these cases are more likely to recover, the mortality rate drops. Health officials also note that Germany saw its first cases later than the rest of Europe, giving them additional time to prepare.
