![]() ![]() The Wall Street Journal: “Coronavirus Closes China to the World, Straining Global Economy”įox News: “Experts worry about pandemic as coronavirus numbers increase”ĬNN: “Wuhan coronavirus: Confirmed cases top 20,000 as China marks deadliest day” The Washington Post: “States scramble to carry out Trump’s coronavirus travel order” The New York Times: “Beijing Sees ‘Major Test’ as Doors to China Close and Coronavirus Deaths Surpass SARS” I also stressed that establishment media, especially US cable channels, are the most unreliable sources of information on the coronavirus outbreak, featuring fear-mongering reports. ![]() In response to a question asked me by a friend on the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak to people in the US, I explained that the chance of being in an auto accident or harmed by one at home is far greater. Most of the above cases apply to Chinese nationals or individuals who returned from the country, in most or all cases from Wuhan. Judge for yourself:Īustralia – 12, mostly individuals who returned from Wuhan or Hubei province Here are the latest numbers through Monday: 20,622 confirmed cases, 426 dead in China, the outbreak mostly in Wuhan and surrounding areas.Ĭases in other countries aren’t anywhere near epidemic or pandemic levels. How do the above definitions apply to the coronavirus outbreak in China? “We use the term endemic when there is an infection within a geographic location that is existing perpetually.”Īn epidemic refers to an infectious disease outbreak in a particular country or community. ![]() “A pandemic is when there is an outbreak that affects most of the world.” “In epidemiologic terms, an outbreak refers to a number of cases that exceeds what would be expected.” The term pandemic applies to a disease that affects large numbers of people worldwide - clearly not applicable to the coronavirus outbreak based on evidence so far. “It is therefore likely that it will spread, as flu and other organisms do, but we still don’t know how far, wide, or deadly it will be.” The New York Times quoted former CDC director Thomas Frieden, saying it’s “increasingly unlikely (that the coronavirus) can be contained,” adding: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls it “a disease that spreads across several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people.”īritain’s Health and Safety Executive says a viral outbreak can be characterized as a pandemic if it’s “markedly different from recently circulating strains,” notably if “humans have little or no immunity” to it. The WHO defines a pandemic as a “worldwide spread of a new disease.” On Sunday, US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci said the coronavirus “almost certainly is going to be a pandemic.” On January 30, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the “coronavirus outbreak (to be) a public health emergency of international concern.” ![]()
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