By now almost everyone is aware of the coronavirus outbreak first detected in China and now known as “COVID-19”. The latest data (2/23/20) from Johns Hopkins University, which has been monitoring the situation closely, shows 78,990 confirmed cases worldwide, with 2,469 deaths. An under-appreciated facet of this virus is the stunningly high rate of transmission, as illustrated by the nearly-vertical line on the chart below. The extremely high velocity of transmission from person to person is perhaps the most frightening characteristic of this new killer. Chart from Reuters.
Coronavirus infections
|
February 24, 2020