Yes and no, all depends on the death rate. Thousands of people die of the flu every year, with an average 2% death rate (of the hundreds of thousands or the millions who may have gotten the flu). So if this is a normal flu, even with a faster transmission, the death rate shouldn’t go a lot higher.
That is, more people may get it, but most will recover. I have read that they are using a new anti-pneumonial for the worst cases and it’s had a lot of success.
I think this is serious, and it should serve as a warning to make nations coordinate their responses better (for example, China refused to accept help), but the end of the world is not at hand.
Yup, China should ask for help.
People love to help, it’s human nature.
Trump would send massive assistance if they would but ask.
It would be money well-spent IMO.
Trump would make certain Xi could save as much face as possible, that is Trump’s nature.
This is true over transmission time-lines.
There’s a Brit doctor who has reviewed the data on the German guy (in Bavaria) who had a Chinese business executive arrive. This is a German-Chinese car parts business. So the next day (day one), they sit down to go over data.
By day three, the Chinese executive has wrapped up the talks, and is back on a plane, returning to China.
Mid-day, day 5 after contact, the German guy is showing symptoms (fever, scratchy throat, etc).
By day 6, the German guy has 102.5 temperature, and full-blown Coronavirus flu.
Day 7, the fever has gone back down (not completely). But he feels better, and the high-point has passed.
Day 8, the guy goes back to work. He feels as though the flu is finished up.
Now, I will point out that the guy is 31 years old, and by what the doctor has seen in data....in great health.
The 61-year-old co-worker (patient two in this company sick group)? He had a very rough flu, has serious respiratory issues, and still in the hospital.
Flu death rate is 0.2% estimated for all cases.
But many cases don’t get recorded (people recover at home) so that isn’t accurate.
Death rates for Corona are 2-3% of all cases. That is actually going to be higher, since most with it are not recovering.
This is not just the flu. China would not blow up their economy, and Xi losing the mandate of Heaven, over the flu.