The hospital and mortality burden of COVID-19 compared with influenza in Denmark: a national observational cohort study, 2022-24

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been on a downward trend since May, 2022, but it continues to cause substantial numbers of hospital admissions and deaths. We describe this burden in the 2 years since May, 2022, and compare it with the burden of influenza in Denmark.

Methods: This observational cohort study included residents in Denmark from May 16, 2022, to June 7, 2024. Data were obtained from national registries, including admissions with COVID-19 or influenza (ie, having a positive PCR test for either virus from 14 days before and up to 2 days after the hospital admission date), deaths, sex, age, COVID-19 and influenza vaccination status, comorbidities, and residence in long-term care facilities. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) to compare rates of hospital admissions between COVID-19 and influenza. To compare the severity of COVID-19 versus influenza among patients admitted to hospital, we used the Kaplan-Meier estimator to produce weighted cumulative incidence curves and adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) of mortality at 30 days between COVID-19 and influenza admissions.

Findings: Among 5 899 170 individuals, COVID-19 admissions (n=24 400) were more frequent than influenza admissions (n=8385; aIRR 2·04 [95% CI 1·38-3·02]), particularly during the first year (May, 2022, to May, 2023) versus the second year (May, 2023, to June, 2024; p=0·0096), in the summer versus the winter (p<0·0001), and among people aged 65 years or older versus younger than 65 years (p<0·0001). The number of deaths was also higher for patients with COVID-19 (n=2361) than patients with influenza (n=489, aIRR 3·19 [95% CI 2·24-4·53]). Among patients admitted in the winter (n=19 286), the risk of mortality from COVID-19 was higher than for influenza (aRR 1·23 [95% CI 1·08-1·37]), particularly among those without COVID-19 and influenza vaccination (1·36 [1·05-1·67]), with comorbidities (1·27 [1·11-1·43]), and who were male (1·36 [1·14-1·59]).

Interpretation: COVID-19 represented a greater disease burden than influenza, with more hospital admissions and deaths, and more severe disease (primarily among non-vaccinated people, those with comorbidities, and male patients). These results highlight the continued need for attention and public health efforts to mitigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2.

Funding: Danish Government.