The Flu Has Killed 10,000 in the U.S. this Season

While the new coronavirus (“2019-nCoV”) has attracted much of the attention as far as current public health threats, it deserves reminding that the flu has killed 10,000 people in the U.S. so far this season. At least 19 million people have come down with the flu in the U.S., with 180,000 ending up in the hospital, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The coronavirus outbreak, however, is proving to be more deadly than the flu. Worldwide, it has killed roughly 2 percent of the people who have contracted it so far. That compares with a mortality rate of 0.095 percent for the flu in the U.S. In its latest report, the CDC notes that flu activity in the U.S. is high and is expected to continue for weeks; it estimates that 21 million people will eventually get the flu this season. For these reasons, many health officials and experts are recommending the public focus on the flu. The good news for the public is that the recommendations for preventing coronavirus infections are the same for the flu, everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. Read the article at CNBC.