My cousin lives in the shut down section of Italy, near Milan

[BigmanPigman]

He wrote and said that while normal flu mortality is just under 1%, this is 2.5%. You can imagine the impact. The equally important issue is that if everyone gets sick the health care system will not be able to help everyone. It's spreading at the speed of light. Obviously the most affected are the elderly with respiratory problems in progress, but since pneumonia is also cured with oxygen, beds and care systems are needed that are not there for everyone.

This is the problem. Italy has communicated in a transparent way the fact that it has made many citizens take swabs and has appeared as the nation that has stunk the world after China. The real issue is that other countries do not communicate as transparently. In America there will be support for those who are insured. But for others? Don't underestimate.

Hygiene, hygiene, hygiene. Wash well.

[Mariana]

1. Normal flu mortality is much less than 1%.

I don't have the actual figure handy, but I know it's less than 1/10th of one percent.

[lapfog_1]

4. yes... .1% is "normal" flu fatality rate

[lapfog_1]

2. It's not just fatality rates

the people who have a more severe case end up with damaged lungs.

This is going to be a problem going forward

[PTWB]

3. The normal flu mortality is NOT "just under 1%" - wow!

[FightingIrish]

5. I have dear friends in Milan.

I was scheduled to visit them next month. This story really shows how dire the situation is.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-italy-doctors-intensive-care-deaths-a9384356.html

[Squinch]

6. Normal flu mortality is 0.1%. This is many magnitudes more deadly.

[Princess Turandot]

7. As of this moment, the reported stats for Italy are worse....

They show a case fatality rate of 5%: 463 deaths/9172 cases = 5.05%

Iran's rate is ~3%. China's Hubei province (includes Wuhan) is 4.4%

Worldwide is 3.5%.

Data per JHU: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

[CaptainTruth]

8. My wife is from a town near Monza, north of Milan. All of her family & many of our friends are...

...in the same area. We just learned there has been a confirmed case in the town where her father & aunts & uncles live. Her dad is an avid fisherman (competes in national & sometimes international competitions) & he said the shop where he buys his fishing gear is closed because the owner tested positive. There's also a confirmed case in a smaller town where a couple of our good friends live, east of Milan.

It hasn't yet hit "close to home" for us here in the US, but it's uncomfortably close to home in Italy.

[BigmanPigman]

10. The incredible speed it travels is

scary. My family canceled their travel plans to Italy for this Summer. Not taking any chances. We may be worse than Italy by then, who knows. As long as tRump is in charge the future looks bleak.

[malaise]

9. He should tell Monster Con

who is still telling people shit about just like flu.