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.