The novel coronavirus outbreak has raised concerns across the globe, with more than 250,000 confirmed cases worldwide.
But for some, the coronavirus outbreak is reminiscent of outbreaks that have caused panic in recent times, adding SARS, MERS, Zika virus and swine flu.
So how exactly does the coronavirus compare to those outbreaks?
For one, 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, both of those illnesses were far more contained than COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. There have been more than 250,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and it has a mortality rate of 4.4%, according to the latest data.
“It’s more widespread than SARS and MERS. More and more people are getting infected,” said Aria Bendix, senior science reporter at Business Insider. “But fewer inflamed people die 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 the Zika virus, resulting in 18 deaths. Zika has also been linked to the development of microcephaly, a birth defect.
But it’s important to note that Zika is transmitted primarily through mosquitoes, while the coronavirus is spread 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.
While we don’t know how widespread the outbreak will become, cases of the virus have started tapering off in China, where the strain originated.
“These cases are decreasing. There are fewer people affected there. And if other countries like the United States, South Korea and Japan apply some of the same containment measures, we may see their outbreaks decrease as well. “
Read more:
A leaked filing shows the document that U. S. hospitals must prepare for a primary coronavirus outbreak. It estimates 96 million coronavirus cases in the United States and 480,000 deaths.
Jump to