[familyop]

"Could that be because (a) pollution is rampant in that country - thus injuring victims lungs and affecting their ability to recover and/or (b) overall healthcare is not as good in China?"

That could have something to do with it, if many of them are asthmatic. But lower seasonal humidity, lower temperature and higher virus loads between surfaces and people might have something to do with it, too. If it were a flu with the usual amount of airborne transmission, it would already have been all over us.

[LilFarmer]

I’m sure compromised lungs play a role, but remember the first official case in the US was Jan 20. That’s only 21 days ago. It is still in the early stages in the US