Is COVID-19 prevalence higher in industrialized countries?
COVID-19 was introduced rapidly to many industrialized countries as a
result of air travel. Most of Europe and the USA probably did not react
in a timely and efficient manner, resulting in the rapid spread and
subsequent high mortality rates. In light of the devastating situation
in many European countries and the USA, less industrialized countries
had a little more time to better prepare to control the
pandemic.243 An important factor for prevalence
studies is the percentage of the population that has undergone a
diagnostic test, which seems to be at lower levels in developing
countries.