Is it a deadly virus

The FT has consistently referred to the Coronavirus as a ‘deadly’ virus. This seems to be because it is highly contagious, has a death rate of 2-3% (compared to that of flu of 0.5%) and results in 20% of cases of pneumonia or worse.

I find myself swithering wildly between is it or isn’t it something to worry about. From the above figures I’d definitely not want to be infected, particularly if there is a mass breakout and health services are overwhelmed.

Even if they are not I’d prefer not to run a 1:5 or possibly more chance given my age of getting some kind of severe respiratory disease.

It is unclear if we are heading for a worldwide pandemic or are maybe already in one. For example, the rate of increase in percentage terms in italy is slowing but the absolute growth is rising, at least for now.

I find the argument that coronavirus is just a form of flu very unconvincing. It has a higher death rate and I suspect a higher load of severe respiratory conditions and we have no vaccine against it.

In a more localised drama I ran into snow on our pass this evening at 2 500 feet and had to beat a very slippery retreat to the valley below. Salutary in its own way.