Sex differences in COVID-19 fatality rate and risk of death: An analysis in 73 countries, 2020-2021.

There is a worrying lack of epidemiological data on the sex differential in COVID-19 fatality rates. We examined the Global Health 50/50 tracks of sex-disaggregated infection and mortality COVID-19 data from 73 countries through May 20, 2021. We compared the infection fatality rate (IFR) in men vs. women and risk of death from COVID-19 by country. Of all cases in 73 countries, 42,933,757 were in women and 40,187,894 in men; 1,274,663 men and 971,899 women died. The IFR was higher in males (3.17%) than in women (2.26%). The IFR in males vs. females varied from country to country, and it was higher in men in Brazil, Yemen, Mexico, Ecuador, Scotland, Peru, Guatemala, North Macedonia and Afghanistan. Overall, men had a higher odd of death from COVID-19 (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.13-1.32; =0.00001) and in 49 countries, compared to women. Men in Albania and Guatemala had twice the risk of death from COVID-19. Our findings show higher fatality rates among men than among women. These rates vary widely by country, and men have a higher odd of death from COVID-19.