The World Health Organization (WHO) recently stated that the novel coronavirus is ten times deadlier and more dangerous than the Swine Flu pandemic of 2009. It is, therefore, essential for the scientific community to develop an effective vaccine that will be used to fight it.
Numbers say it all: Coronavirus ten times more dangerous than 2009 Swine Flu
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a virtual briefing from Geneva that they are continuously learning about this pandemic that has caused destruction all over the world.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, has now killed nearly 115,000 people and has brought the total number of infected individuals to more than 1.8 million worldwide.
Ghebreyesus said, "We know that COVID-19 spreads fast, and we know that it is deadly, ten times deadlier than the 2009 flu pandemic. The virus has raged through Britain, the US, and Australia, killing 11,329, 22,858 and 61 respectively. Swine flu killed 138 in England, 12,469 Americans and 191 in Australia."
Based on this percentage, the novel coronavirus has already killed at least 6.4% of people who tested positive for the virus--this includes 12% in the United Kingdom, 4% in the United States, and 0.1% n Australia.
The 2009 Swine Flu
According to the WHO, as told by Daily Mail, when compared to the swine flu that wreaked havoc back in 2009, the pandemic was fatal to 1.1% of those infected. The death rate in the United Kingdom stood at 0.03%, 0.5% in Australia, and 0.2% in the United States.
The WHO has also said that 18,500 died due to the swine flu--which was discovered in Mexico and in the United States in March 2009. The Lancet stated, however, that the numbers were at least between 151,700 and 575,400.
Review of The Lancet also included some estimated deaths in Southeast Asia and Africa that were apparently not accounted for by the WHO. This particular outbreak that was eventually declared a pandemic in June 2009 and was considered over by August 2010, was not as deadly as it was initially feared.
Numerous vaccines were quickly developed, but the West and the World Health Organization received some criticism and blame for overreacting. At that time, annual influenza epidemics killed between 250,000 to 500,000 people each year.
"Some countries are seeing cases double every three to four days, but stressed they were committed to 'early case-finding, testing, isolating (and) caring for every case and tracing every contact' they could rein in the virus. More than half of the planet's population is currently staying home as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus," Tedros said on April 13.
Despite all the efforts that have been put in place, the WHO has acknowledged that the delivery and development of an effective and safe vaccine will be ultimately needed to fully interrupt and kill virus transmission. And that will take at least 12 to 18 months.
