when comparing seasonal flu numbers of different nations there are a couple of things I think are important to consider:
Exposure risk:
America is an open society where people may travel freely. The US population is 330 Million. Last year, 80 million people visited the USA - equivalent to 25% of the population.
China is a closed and controlled society. It has a population of 1.4 Billion and a predicted 180m visitors for 2020 - equivalent to 10% of their population.
So while both China and America have native seasonal flu’s, America’s exposure risk is over twice that of China.
Weather:
China is a holiday destination in late Dec-mid Jan, receiving a mass migration of tens of millions from ‘tropic’ countries at a time when there are few active flu cases. Celebrations in Asia bring thousands of people to events. But at the middle of the flu season (midJan-Mar) when winter conditions drive a mobile population into closer contact for longer periods of time due to cold weather, America becomes the return destination for many of those same travelers. And some who pick up the flu elsewhere will die once back in America.
Overall:
A high rate of viral introduction in a gentically mixed population with a considerable number of elderly and disabled, weather patterns favorable for viral growth, lack of caste systems separating populations, and an optional vaccines policy for an annually shape-shifting virus, will drive US flu rates higher than that of a closed society with intense but transient exposure to the outside world. Closed societies better able to publicly fudge numbers for political purposes. Like China putting seasonal flu deaths under an end-stage result, like renal failure, instead of calling it flu-related pneumonia.
That’s how I see it, anyway.
Yep. But in China they are killing those who violate quaratine. In the US you will be shot first by these roving bands of quaratine violaters. In a months time there could be thousands of refugees from the state of California. All potential super spreaders. They can check out but they can never leave. We may need to send a rescue team in for Jim. In China, they have yet to lift any quaratine order.