In
epidemiology, a
case fatality rate (CFR) — or
case fatality risk,
case fatality ratio or just
fatality rate — is the
proportion of
deaths within a designated
population of "cases" (people with a medical condition), over the course of the disease. A CFR is conventionally expressed as a percentage and represents a measure of risk. CFRs are most often used for diseases with discrete, limited time courses, such as outbreaks of acute infections.