While the coronavirus is growing and a major worldwide health concern, I believe a bit of perspective is in order.
For just the United States, the CDC has estimated that the seasonal flu has resulted in 12,000 deaths from October to January. It also states it could be as many as 30,000, due to reporting irregularities. Aiming for the middle I will use 20,000 deaths.
The coronavirus was detected in mid-January. Fifty days from then to March 1. In that time span there were 8,333 deaths from seasonal flu. Car accidents in the U.S. average 102 per day, 5,100 deaths in the 50 days span. Veteran suicides average 20 per day, or 1,000 in the last 50 days, for a total of just these three categories of 14,433 deaths. Johns Hopkins estimates 250,000 accidental deaths per year from medical mistakes or 34,246. Add in daily gun-related deaths of 85 per day and the total goes to 52,929 deaths. Or given the average plane capacity of 180 people, the equivalent of over five plane crashes a day.
According to NBC, as of March 6 the coronavirus deaths in the U.S. for this period is 14.
Due diligence is needed for this virus, as it will continue to spread, but panic and hoarding is not. If the nation took on these other causes of death with the same zeal, money allocation, and media coverage as the coronavirus, we would all be much better off.
Bob Bourke
Heath