Economic inequality is rising within many countries globally, and this can significantly influence the social vulnerability to natural hazards. We analysed income inequality and flood disasters in 67 middle- and high-income countries between 1990 and 2018 and found that unequal countries tend to suffer more flood fatalities. This study integrates geocoded mortality records from 573 major flood disasters with population and economic data to perform generalized linear mixed regression modelling. Our results show that the significant association between income inequality and flood mortality persists after accounting for the per-capita real gross domestic product, population size in flood-affected regions and other potentially confounding variables. The protective effect of increasing gross domestic product disappeared when accounting for income inequality and population size in flood-affected regions. On the basis of our results, we argue that the increasingly uneven distribution of wealth deserves more attention within international disaster-risk research and policy arenas.

Objective: To prospectively assess the rate and timing of recovery of olfactory (OD) and gustatory (GD) dysfunction in patients affected by COVID‐19.Study Design: Cohort study.Setting: Population‐based evaluation in a COVID‐19 high‐prevalence region.Subjects and Methods: We analyzed the clinical course of OD and GD in a cohort of home‐quarantined SARS‐CoV‐2–positive patients from Northern Italy. Physicians administered a survey‐based questionnaire at recruitment (T0). During follow‐up, patients responded to online dedicated surveys modulated according to symptoms at T0.Results: A total of 151 patients completed the follow‐up survey. OD and/or GD were observed in 83% and 89% of subjects, respectively. Resolution rates of OD and GD at 30 days from onset were 87% and 82%, respectively. Risk factors for late resolution were grade of dysfunction at onset (total vs partial), gender, and presence of nasal congestion. Three (2%) patients previously reporting complete resolution of symptoms complained of subsequent recurrence of OD and/or GD after a mean of 19 days from resolution of the previous episode.Conclusion: COVID‐19–related OD and GD had high rate of resolution in the first month from onset of symptoms. However, in 10% to 15% of patients, these symptoms showed only partial improvement after this period.