case fatality rate

American  

[keys fey-tal-i-tee reyt, fuh-] / ˈkeɪs feɪˈtæl ɪ ti ˌreɪt, fə- /

noun

1. the proportion of people who die from a disease contracted during a specific period of time, calculated by dividing the total number of deaths by the total number of cases and typically expressed as a percentage: CFR

   It is often difficult to pinpoint the case fatality rate, because many cases of infection can go undetected and thus unreported.

---

Etymology

Origin of case fatality rate

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

However, past outbreaks have shown a case fatality rate ranging from 25% to 90%, depending on the circumstances and response measures.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2025

The case fatality rate is higher than it was in the 2022 global outbreak.

From Salon • Aug. 16, 2024

Since 2003, when the virus first started spreading through southern Asia, there have been 868 cases of human infection with H5N1 reported, of which 457 were fatal — a 53% case fatality rate.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2024

While Marburg virus disease is highly deadly — some estimate that the case fatality rate could be as high as 88 percent — it is transmitted through direct contact, not as an airborne pathogen.

From Washington Post • Apr. 6, 2023

The cholera case fatality rate in Africa was almost 3% in 2021, Barboza says, about three times higher than over the previous 5 years.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 30, 2022