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.

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Etymology

Origin of case fatality rate

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Even if the case fatality rate is much lower for this strain of the bird flu, covid showed how devastating a 1% death rate can be when a virus spreads easily.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2024

Later estimates that tried to capture the toll across the world pegged the case fatality rate between 2% and 3%.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2023

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

He flagged a Financial Times article stating the global case fatality rate had fallen below 0.04.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 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