Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Data Analysis with SQL & Tableau

Michael Olaniyi Jeremiah
Oct 18, 2024
7 min read

Updated: Aug 15

By Michael Olaniyi Jeremiah

Brief Introduction

The covid-19 Pandemic was one of a kind that took many lives. I embarked on a journey to get insights on Covid's impact on the World.

The Dataset:

The analysis conducted on the Covid-19 pandemic using the dataset from the World Health Organization (WHO) focuses on critical metrics such as total cases, death counts, infection rates, vaccination rollouts, and the impact of the virus across different continents.

The following questions are what this analysis seeks to answer:

What is the Percentage of Population Vaccinated
What is the number of Deaths By Continent
Which is the Continents with the highest death count per population
Which is Countries with Highest Infection Rate Compared to Population
What is the Total cases & population percentage infected
What is the Total Cases vs Total Deaths in Nigeria

Datasets description:

Covid-19 Deaths table 'CovidDeaths' has 26 columns and 81,060 rows

CovidDeaths table head output:

Covid-19 Vaccinations table 'CovidVaccinations' has 37 columns and 85,171 rows

CovidVaccinations table head output:

Let's select the data that we are going to be using:

-- Let's select the data that we are going to be using

SELECT location, date, total_cases, new_cases, total_deaths, population
FROM CovidDeaths
WHERE continent is not null and  total_deaths is not null
ORDER BY 1,2

Output:

Total Cases vs Total Deaths in Nigeria

-- Shows likelihood of dying if you contract covid in Nigeria

SELECT location, date, total_cases, total_deaths, (total_deaths/total_cases)*100 AS DeathsPercentage
FROM CovidDeaths
WHERE location LIKE '%Nigeria' 
AND continent IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY 1,2,

Output:

Total Cases vs. Total Deaths in Nigeria

The initial reported Covid-19 death in Nigeria occurred on 23rd March 2020 when there were 40 confirmed cases. By 30th April 2021, Nigeria had a total of 165,110 confirmed cases and 2,063 deaths, giving a death rate of approximately 1.25%. This indicates that out of every 100 people infected with Covid-19 in Nigeria, roughly 1.25 succumbed to the virus.
Findings: Nigeria had a relatively lower death rate compared to the global average, which hovered around 2%. This lower death rate could be attributed to several factors including a younger population or less severe strains of the virus during this period.

Total Cases vs Population

-- Shows what percentage of population infected with Covid

SELECT location, date, population, total_cases, 
	  (total_cases/population)*100 AS PercentPopulationInfected 
FROM CovidDeaths
ORDER BY 1,2

Output:

Total Cases vs. Population: Percentage of Population Infected

Query Analysis: This query shows the percentage of the population that was infected with Covid-19 in different countries. Countries like Andorra reported an infection rate of 17% of their population. In Nigeria, however, by 30th April 2021, 0.08% of the population was infected (based on Nigeria's population of approximately 206 million).
Findings: Nigeria's infection rate as a percentage of the total population was significantly lower compared to many other countries, particularly in Europe. This may indicate under-reporting of cases or limited testing capacity.

Countries with Highest Infection Rate compared to Population


-- Countries with Highest Infection Rate compared to Population

SELECT location, population, MAX(total_cases) AS HighestInfectionCount, MAX((total_cases/population))*100 AS PercentPopulationInfected
FROM CovidDeaths
WHERE continent is not null 
GROUP BY location, population
ORDER BY PercentPopulationInfected DESC

Output:

Countries with Highest Infection Rate Compared to Population

The highest infection rates relative to population occurred in countries with smaller populations. Andorra had the highest infection rate, where more than 17% of the population contracted Covid-19. This demonstrates the disproportionate impact the virus had on smaller, densely populated countries.
Findings: Smaller nations, particularly in Europe, were hit hard by the pandemic, as they faced significant infection rates, unlike larger countries such as Nigeria.

Countries with Highest Death Count per Population

-- Countries with Highest Death Count per Population

SELECT location, MAX(cast(total_deaths as int)) AS TotalDeathsCount
FROM CovidDeaths
WHERE continent is not null 
GROUP BY location
ORDER BY TotalDeathsCount DESC

Output:

Countries with Highest Death Count per Population

The United States recorded the highest total number of Covid-19 deaths, reflecting both its large population and the significant spread of the virus within its borders.
Findings: Although the US had a relatively advanced healthcare system, the sheer volume of cases overwhelmed the system, leading to a high number of fatalities.

Breaking it down by Continent


-- Showing contintents with the highest death count per population

SELECT continent, MAX(cast(Total_deaths as int)) as TotalDeathCount
FROM CovidDeaths
WHERE continent IS NOT NULL 
GROUP BY continent
ORDER BY TotalDeathCount DESC

Output:

Continents with the Highest Death Count per Population

North America had the highest death count, with 576,232 deaths, followed by South America with 403,783 deaths. This shows the severe impact Covid-19 had on these continents, especially in densely populated areas.

Findings: North and South America had the highest death tolls, largely due to delayed containment measures, overwhelmed healthcare systems, and perhaps differences in population health and preparedness.

Global Covid-19 Numbers

-- Percentage of deaths by total cases

SELECT SUM(CAST(new_cases AS INT)) AS Total_cases, 
SUM(CAST(new_deaths AS INT)) AS Total_Deaths, 
SUM(CAST(new_deaths AS INT))/ SUM(new_cases )*100 AS DeathsPercentage
FROM CovidDeaths
WHERE continent IS NOT NULL 
ORDER BY 1,2

Output:

Global Covid-19 Numbers: Death Percentage

The global death rate was calculated as 2.11%, indicating that globally, about 2 in every 100 people who contracted Covid-19 succumbed to the virus. This reflects the overall impact of the pandemic.
Findings: The global death rate provides a stark reminder of the severity of the pandemic. However, regional differences in healthcare capacity, early interventions, and government actions led to significant variations in death rates across continents.

Total Population vs Vaccinations

-- Shows Percentage of Population that has recieved at least one Covid Vaccine

WITH popvsvac (Continent, Location, Date, Population, New_vaccinations, RollingPeopleVaccinated) AS  
(
SELECT dea.continent, dea.location, dea.date,dea.population, vac.new_vaccinations, 
SUM(CONVERT(int,vac.new_vaccinations)) OVER (partition BY dea.location ORDER BY dea.location, dea.date) AS RollingPeopleVaccinated
FROM CovidDeaths dea
JOIN CovidVaccinations vac
ON dea.location = vac.location
and dea.date = vac.date
WHERE dea.continent IS NOT NULL
)
SELECT*, (RollingPeopleVaccinated/Population)*100 AS PercentRollingPeopleVaccinated
FROM popvsvac

Output:

Vaccination Rollout: Population vs. Vaccination Rates

A comparison between total population and vaccination data shows the percentage of the population that had received at least one vaccine dose. In several countries, the percentage of people vaccinated increased over time. Countries that vaccinated early and aggressively, such as the United States and European nations, saw a slower rise in new cases as vaccines helped control the spread of the virus.
Findings: Vaccination rollout played a critical role in slowing down the spread of Covid-19. However, many developing nations, including Nigeria, lagged behind in terms of vaccination coverage, which may have prolonged their exposure to the virus.

Covid-19 Global Impact Analysis Dashboard on Tableau

Global Overview

Total Cases: 150,574,977
Total Deaths: 3,180,206
Death Percentage: 2.11%

The pandemic’s global reach has been devastating, with over 150 million total cases reported worldwide and more than 3 million deaths, resulting in a death percentage of 2.11%. The spread varied significantly across regions, with Europe, North America, and South America showing higher mortality rates compared to other continents.

Percent Population Infected per Country

The infection rates vary across countries, with some experiencing more significant impacts relative to their population size. The top countries with the highest infection rates include:

United States: 19.11%
United Kingdom: 14.93%
India: 8.33%

These numbers indicate that nearly 1 in 5 individuals in these countries contracted the virus during the pandemic, revealing the heavy burden placed on their healthcare systems.

Recommendations

Accelerate Vaccine Distribution in Developing Nations:
- The data reveals that countries with higher vaccination rates saw a slowdown in infection rates and fewer deaths. It is imperative for governments, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, to prioritize securing and distributing vaccines to a larger portion of the population. International collaboration and support from organizations like the WHO will be critical to ensuring equitable vaccine access.
Improve Testing and Reporting Infrastructure:
- The infection rates in countries like Nigeria suggest potential under-reporting due to limited testing capacity. Investments in healthcare infrastructure, especially testing and contact tracing systems, will help in detecting future pandemics early and controlling their spread.
Strengthen Public Health Education and Communication:
- Many countries that fared better in terms of Covid-19 mortality rates had clear public health communication and guidelines. Governments should focus on educating the public on the importance of vaccinations, social distancing, mask-wearing, and other preventative measures, especially in regions where vaccine hesitancy is prevalent.
Enhance Pandemic Preparedness Plans:
- Countries that experienced overwhelming death rates (e.g., the US, Brazil) struggled with preparedness. All nations should develop comprehensive pandemic response plans, including stockpiling medical supplies, ventilators, PPE, and expanding ICU capacities. Governments should also conduct regular pandemic simulation exercises to remain prepared for future outbreaks.
Strengthen Global Health Collaboration:
- The findings emphasize the need for global cooperation in managing pandemics. Countries must work together to share data, best practices, and resources during global health crises. International bodies like the WHO should be empowered to facilitate this collaboration, ensuring timely interventions across borders.
Target Vulnerable Populations:
- High-risk groups, including the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and those with pre-existing conditions, must be prioritized for vaccination and healthcare during pandemics. Special programs should be developed to ensure these groups have easy access to medical care, vaccines, and social services.
Invest in Long-Term Healthcare Resilience:
- Countries should increase investment in their healthcare systems to build resilience against future pandemics. This includes improving healthcare worker training, increasing healthcare funding, and creating scalable solutions for dealing with large-scale outbreaks.

By implementing these recommendations, countries will be better positioned to handle future pandemics, reduce fatalities, and minimize disruptions to global health systems. The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of proactive, unified, and well-prepared responses to global health threats.

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Thank you for taking the time to review this project. I welcome your comments, suggestions, and feedback.

For any project discussions or job opportunities, please feel free to contact me at:

Email Address: michaeljeremiah124@gmail.com

Phone: 234706664402

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-olaniyi-jeremiah/

GitHub: https://github.com/mikeolani