New coronavirus could be ‘as deadly’ as Spanish flu pandemic
Professor Neil Ferguson, Vice-Dean for Academic Development of Imperial College London’s School of Medicine, told London reporters on Jan. 22 that the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) and the 1918 H1N1 virus have “roughly the same” mortality rate.
“This [2019-nCoV’s death rate] could be two percent, similar to Spanish flu,” Ferguson told Yahoo News.
A two percent death rate means “one in 50” persons who acquired the virus could die.
With the current death toll at 17 out of 555 cases, American news website The Hill said the 2019-nCov’s death rate is now at three percent, “a little more than the estimated 2.5 percent mortality rate caused by the Spanish flu in 1918.”
Professor Neil Ferguson, Vice-Dean for Academic Development of Imperial College London’s School of Medicine, told London reporters on Jan. 22 that the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) and the 1918 H1N1 virus have “roughly the same” mortality rate.
“This [2019-nCoV’s death rate] could be two percent, similar to Spanish flu,” Ferguson told Yahoo News.
A two percent death rate means “one in 50” persons who acquired the virus could die.
With the current death toll at 17 out of 555 cases, American news website The Hill said the 2019-nCov’s death rate is now at three percent, “a little more than the estimated 2.5 percent mortality rate caused by the Spanish flu in 1918.”
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