The outbreak of the new coronavirus has sparked fear around the world, with more than 250,000 cases confirmed worldwide.
But for some, the coronavirus outbreak is reminiscent of the epidemics that have caused panic in recent times, adding SARS, MERS, the Zika virus and swine flu.
So how exactly does the coronavirus compare to those outbreaks?
For one thing, we know that the coronavirus outbreak is as fatal as the 2003 SARS outbreak, which killed about 10% of the 8,098 cases of the respiratory disease.
And it is much less deadly than Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, which has killed about 34% of the 2,500 or so cases shown since it was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia.
However, any of those ailments have been much more contained than COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. More than 250,000 coronavirus cases have been recorded and the death rate is 4. 4%, according to the most recent data.
“It has been more widespread than SARS and MERS. More people are getting infected” Aria Bendix, a senior science reporter for Business Insider said. “But less of those people who are getting infected are actually dying from it.”
The coronavirus outbreak is more serious than the H1N1, or swine flu, outbreak of 2009. The disease affected between 700 million and 1. 4 billion people worldwide, but had only a low mortality rate. of 0. 02%.
And in 2015 and 2016, there were more than 500,000 suspected cases of Zika virus, resulting in 18 deaths. Zika has also been linked to a buildup of microcephaly, a birth defect.
But it is essential to note that Zika is mainly transmitted through mosquitoes, while the coronavirus is transmitted through respiratory fluids such as saliva or mucus.
“That’s why it’s so important with this coronavirus to actually cover your mouth when you cough or cover your face when you sneeze, so that you aren’t spreading it to other people,” Bendix said.
Although we don’t know how big the outbreak will be, cases of the virus have to decline in China, where the strain originated.
“These cases are decreasing. Fewer people are infected there. And if other countries like the United States, South Korea and Japan could implement some of the same containment measures, we may see their outbreaks decrease as well. “
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