CVStp
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Can someone please explain to me why is Corona such a threat to the world and why are we in such a panic when Influenza is far more lethal and we are dealing with it just fine?
Just in US, just in the last season, there were 45 million cases and 61,000 people died of Influenza according to CDC.
CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9 million – 45 million illnesses, between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.
Influenza may have killed as many as 25 million people in its first 25 weeks. Older estimates say it killed 40–50 million people, while current estimates put the death toll at probably 50 million, and possibly as high as 100 million.
Compared to these numbers Corona seems like a insignificant thread. So what am I missing?
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu
BobusMaximus
We can't do a great deal to stop flu. We maybe able to contain CoV though so we don't have two flus at the same time.
fowlersleftfoot
Because people can’t be racist when they’re talking about flu. And racists like an excuse to be racist
Plaguewalker209
Because corona can exist outside the human body for far longer.
SpartaWolf117
the flu comes every year, the corona virus sounds new and can be used by the media for better ratings
ReferenceGameOnPoint
Thunderfoot made a great video answering exactly this
YouCanCallMeCal
Mortality rate for starters. Chance of mutation for 2nd. Rate of infection, incubation etc. And the fact that it's new.
manicmalki
Influenza has a mortality rate of .1% Corona has a mortality rate of around 2.5% ish so you figure 2500% more and similar infectious rate.
Randomice
Influenza is a known and manageable threat. The new Coronavirus is unknown and potentially disastrous, unless and until it can be managed.
Randomice
The same thing with terrorism vs traffic. Traffic causes many deaths, but is a known danger. Terrorism causes few deaths, but is an unknown.
pgaster
Even the CDC doesn't trust the official China numbers. Look it up. So none of your comparisons are valid.
Chereazi
We don't know yet how many would die if it took hold in the US. It has the potential to be worse than the flu. And people don't want to let
Chereazi
it become a threat to start with. Just because it gets fought early and with so far ok-ish results doesn't mean it's harmless at all
CVStp
Legit "Thank You" for the answers! I was comparing the outbreak statistics and Influenza was nuts so the panic didn't make sense to me.
RickRollable
I don't think the panic makes sense either. The media are blowing this way out of proportion imo
QuickLighting53
Still feel that way after over half a million Americans are dead?
RickRollable
No
bootsgalore
It's not the total numbers, it's the mortality percentage. No one is comparing the percentages. Flu - .1% mortality, Corona 2%. HUGE diff.
itsu
10% in some areas of China.
bootsgalore
https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-is-bad-comparing-it-to-the-flu-is-worse/