Corona Virus vs Flu (Flu more dangerous)

[New World Explorer]

It seems that flu is more deadly so far then new Corona Virus. (I found this rather interesting)

So far, 14,000 people have died and 250,000 people have been hospitalized during the 2019-2020 flu season, according to preliminary estimates from the CDC.

"The flu season began early this year and took off aggressively," added Schaffner. "It began prominently in the southeastern states but quickly spread. So far, there is no sign that the momentum of the annual epidemic is slowing." https://abc7.com/hospitalizations-high-for-kids-as-flu-kills-14-more-children-cdc/5834888/

[Newtonian]

It depends on when in the pandemic one makes the observation.   At this point, one of the worst plagues was part of the beginning of pangs of distress in these last days - namely the Spanish flu in 1918 which killed c. 20 million people in one year!

 

One expert noted that the Corona virus is constantly mutating - that makes it potentially extremely dangerous - or more benign - depending on what it mutates into!

 

We have made much  progress since 1918 - we can now cure viruses!

 

Just kidding - we cannot cure all viruses.

 

A BIG question to me is:

 

Sure, antibiotics do not stop viruses - but why isn't anyone talking about anti-virals???????

[carlos]

2 hours ago, Newtonian said:

Sure, antibiotics do not stop viruses - but why isn't anyone talking about anti-virals???????

They are using antivirals developed against SARS to treat some coronavirus patients. It seems they are successful in some cases, not so much in others. I guess if they succeed to develop an antiviral for this specific virus it will be much easier to treat it.

 

I very much agree regarding the progress in medicine since 1918. If there was an outbreak of Spanish flu or black plague today the number of dead would be in the thousands, not millions. Even Ebola, when first appeared, was nearly 90 percent fatal. Yet in the last outbreak of Ebola only 25 percent of the patients died.

 

Jehovah has designed our body well to combat viruses. In most cases doctors just need to keep the patient alive and the body will take care of the infection.

[Qapla]

7 hours ago, Newtonian said:

It depends on when in the pandemic one makes the observation

 

There was a point made on the news this morning that COVID-19 may qualify as an "epidemic" ... but it is not considered at the "pandemic" stage and encouraged people to stop using that terminology to describe COVID-19

 

 

Thought that was interesting ....

[Shawnster]

 

 

What is an outbreak?

An outbreak is a sudden rise in the number of cases of a disease. An outbreak may occur in a community or geographical area, or may affect several countries. It may last for a few days or weeks, or even for several years.

 

Some outbreaks are expected each year, such as influenza. Sometimes a single case of an infectious disease may be considered an outbreak. This may be true if the disease is rare (e.g., foodborne botulism) or has serious public health implications (e.g., bioterrorism agent such as anthrax).

 

What is an epidemic?

An epidemic occurs when an infectious disease spreads rapidly to many people. In 2003, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic took the lives of nearly 800 people worldwide.

 

What is a pandemic?

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. It differs from an outbreak or epidemic because it:

• affects a wider geographical area, often worldwide.
• infects a greater number of people than an epidemic.
• is often caused by a new virus or a strain of virus that has not circulated among people for a long time. Humans usually have little to no immunity against it. The virus spreads quickly from person-to-person worldwide.
• causes much higher numbers of deaths than epidemics.
• often creates social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship.

The influenza (flu) pandemic of 1918-1919 killed between 20 and 40 million people. It is one of the most devastating pandemics in recorded world history. 2009 H1N1 influenza was a more recent global pandemic.

 

While an influenza pandemic is rare, they do reoccur periodically. Some pandemics are worse than others.

 

Public health experts say it’s not a matter of IF a flu pandemic will happen, but WHEN. It is essential to be prepared.

 

https://apic.org/monthly_alerts/outbreaks-epidemics-and-pandemics-what-you-need-to-know/

Edited March 9, 2020 by Shawnster

[Friends just call me Ross]

As someone previously posted:

 

If it looks like a duck and acts and quacks like a duck...it's probably a duck.  

[Apollo One]

Twas declared a pandemic this week.