AIBU to ask you if you are worried about the new Coronavirus?

[IvyBush123]

I am not sure if there is reason to worry about the new Coronavirus. I am not a medical expert but to be honest feel a bit scared because we know so little and some experts seem worried. How do you think?

Perhaps you should rethink that comment unless you are genuinely be happy if the death toll from this virus is higher than SARS.

If? It is already.

"Coronavirus: death toll passes Sars virus as dozens more die in Wuhan"

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/03/coronavirus-dozens-more-deaths-chinese-province-centre-outbreak-hubei

Another problem is that people may just think they have a cold and carry on as normal. This happened with a few of the German cases. They only had mild symptoms yet were passing the virus on. How do people tell they have Corona rather than a mild virus?

Its based on the morphology of the virus and how deadly that virus is rather than the infection rate. My point about the common cold was that its incredibly infectious, but the virus itself is very unlikely to kill in comparison to other diseases. I was drawing that link between the current strain of coronavirus vs SARS.

You'll need to explain that in more detail.

For a start, do you know what morphology is?

An elderly couple returning from Wuhan on 20th January gave it to their baby granddaughter in Shanghai. So irresponsible.

yes I am aware what morphology means.

How do people tell they have Corona rather than a mild virus?

And there lies one of the main problems. For now, if you have symptoms of a cold and have been in an affected area or in contact with known cases, it's probably best to contact your local health authorities, preferably by phone.
But, yes, it makes it easy to spread and it hasn't been easy.

Are you suggesting that i'd be personally, genuinely elated if the death toll was higher now? What a ridiculous, overly argumentative statement to make.

You said that you would be happy to be proved wrong about the death toll being higher from this virus than from SARS. I'm sure you wouldn't which it was a stupid to say you would be happy to be proved wrong. That was my point.

yes I am aware what morphology means.

So, please explain how it relates to the issues of infectiousness and death rates.

not too worried. I read the other day about people in Germany who are quarantined as they have the virus and apparently non of them is showing symptoms. I think there is a lot of scaremongering going on...

I am not at all worried about coronavirus from a personal point of view. It's extremely unlikely that I will catch it. Of course i am concerned about those who do have it but in reality most people survive.

I said i'd be happy to be proved wrong in my point, meaning that im happy to see other facts etc.

Hence the second part of my reply.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene Tue 04-Feb-20 09:44:22

There are already more deaths in this outbreak then there were from SARS altogether.

Id be interested to know where you've got this from? Genuinely happy to be proved wrong.

As posted a few posts back.
www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/03/coronavirus-dozens-more-deaths-chinese-province-centre-outbreak-hubei

Although, I suspect that was a bad turn of phrase.

I am concerned about it

Apologies, those news were for mainland China. Although it's likely to reach total ever soon.

not too worried. I read the other day about people in Germany who are quarantined as they have the virus and apparently non of them is showing symptoms. I think there is a lot of scaremongering going on...

It's not scaremongering to be very concerned about an infected disease with a 3% death rate. Will you be so blasé if a child in your child's class dies from it because with that death rate it could happen.

I am concerned. Latest reports have an infectious rate of 1:5. It doesn’t look like we are even close to peak yet and I question hospitals ability to cope when it really hits. The Who are worried. Doctors are worried. I am worried.

Viral morphology is the general term for a way in which a virus evolves/changes/the shape of it etc.

SARS/MERS/2019-CoV (which is what this strain of the virus is being called now) are all types of the same virus, just different strains. Some strains have higher mortality rates than others (which is why theres a difference between MERS/SARS etc), some have higher infection rates than others. It depends on the shape and make-up of the virus. This is what gives a virus its particular characteristics (high infection rate, or high mortality, or 'curability' etc). So a virus that is 'shaped' in a way that'll easily infect or kill its host is more likely to do damage than a virus that isnt. Hence, viral morphology is a more important factor to consider than just pure infection rate. Im not denying infection rates isnt an important factor, it is. Theres just more to consider.

Hence, viral morphology is a more important factor to consider than just pure infection rate. Im not denying infection rates isnt an important factor, it is. Theres just more to consider.

You are stating the obvious. Everyone knows it isn't just the infection rate that is important. It is the infection rate and the death rate that people are concerned about here.

I was asked to explain. So I did.

I m not worried about it for myself but I worry about elderly people like my parents.
Especially as the flu vaccination doesnt protect against it.
Ds had swine flu age 21 and was horribly ill, he s a healthy young man normally. I looked after him but didnt catch it nor did dd.
I think we should be cautious especially vulnerable people but I m not going to lock up my house and avoid everyday life.
Nor start running away from people who cough or sneeze.

Viral morphology is the general term for a way in which a virus evolves/changes/the shape of it etc.

Not really (except for the shape). Where did you get that from?
I half expected you to refer to its outer layer that is made up of a lipid layer and thus makes it susceptible to desiccation. This means that transmission is mostly by close contact.

But epidemiologists care about infection or transmission rates (how many people catch it) and death rates (how many people die). Those are observable measures and that's reality.
Those are what we should be concerned about.

Transmission rates and death rates are due to many factors, including the genetic make up of the virus, but also the population in which they circulate.

So, most of what you wrote carries no meaning. Lots of words, yes, but little sense.

Another 21 million people under lockdown in China today as the quarantine area widens and 1.2 trillian yuan dumped into the economy to keep thing afloat but it's just a cold

No, but I'm not elderly, have underlying health problems or immune compromised

Exactly FourTeaFallOut this comparison with the flu is frustrating. Yes, the flu kills so many people every year but no countries have huge quarantine zones and build gigantic field hospitals because of it! We have no idea how bad this is going to get. I dread to even think how many people are walking round with Corona but think they just have a mild virus.

Indeed, as a recent paper suggested that the actual numbers are 10x greater, the sense of urgency demonstrated by the Chinese government seems to suggest they know it.