COVID-19 live updates: Total number of cases passes 2,065,000

The recent coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.Known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus has resulted in more than 2,000,000 infections and 137,000 deaths.SARS-CoV-2 infection causes a respiratory illness called COVID-19.COVID-19 has now been reported on every continent except Antarctica.Keep up to date with the latest research and information about COVID-19How dangerous is the virus?There are three parameters to understand in order to assess the magnitude of the risk posed by this novel coronavirus:Transmission Rate (Ro) - number of newly infected people from a single caseCase Fatality Rate (CFR) - percent of cases that result in deathDetermine whether asymptomatic transmission is possibleHow contagious is the Wuhan Coronavirus? (Ro)The attack rate or transmissibility (how rapidly the disease spreads) of a virus is indicated by its reproductive number (Ro, pronounced R-nought or r-zero), which represents the average number of people to which a single infected person will transmit the virus.

WHO's estimated (on Jan. 23) Ro to be between 1.4 and 2.5. 
Other studies have estimated a Ro between 3.6 and 4.0, and between 2.24 to 3.58. Preliminary studies had estimated Ro to be between 1.5 and 3.5. 

An outbreak with a reproductive number of below 1 will gradually disappear.For comparison, the Ro for the common flu is 1.3 and for SARS it was 2.0.Fatality Rate (case fatality ratio or CFR) of the Wuhan CoronavirusSee full details: Coronavirus Fatality RateThe novel coronavirus' case fatality rate has been estimated at around 2%, in the WHO press conference held on January 29, 2020. However, it noted that, without knowing how many were infected, it was too early to be able to put a percentage on the mortality rate figure.A prior estimate [9] had put that number at 3%.Fatality rate can change as a virus can mutate, according to epidemiologists.For comparison, the case fatality rate for SARS was 10%, and for MERS 34%.Incubation Period (how long it takes for symptoms to appear)See full details: COVID-19 Coronavirus Incubation PeriodSymptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 (estimated ranges vary from 2-10 days, 2-14 days, and 10-14 days, see details), during which the virus is contagious but the patient does not display any symptom (asymptomatic transmission).

Age and conditions of Coronavirus cases

 Age, Sex, Demographics of COVID-19 Cases and DeathsAccording to early estimates by China's National Health Commission (NHC), about 80% of those who died were over the age of 60 and 75% of them had pre-existing health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.According to the WHO Situation Report no. 7 issued on Jan. 27:The median age of cases detected outside of China is 45 years, ranging from 2 to 74 years.71% of cases were male.A study of 138 hospitalized patients with NCIP found that the median age was 56 years (interquartile range, 42-68; range, 22-92 years) and 75 (54.3%) were men.The WHO, in its Myth busters FAQs, addresses the question: "Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?" by answering that:People of all ages can be infected by the novel coronavirus COVID-19.Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.Patient who died in the Philippines was a 44-year old maleThe patient who died in the Philippines on February 2, in what was the first death occurring outside of China, was a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan who was admitted on Jan. 25 after experiencing fever, cough, and sore throat, before developing severe pneumonia. In the last few days, “the patient was stable and showed signs of improvement, however, the condition of the patient deteriorated within his last 24 hours resulting in his demise." according to the Philippine Department of Health.
Serious Cases of 30 year old patients in France

As of Jan. 29, according to French authorities, the conditions of the two earliest Paris cases had worsened and the patients were being treated in intensive care, according to French authorities. The patients have been described as a young couple aged 30 and 31 years old, both Chinese citizens from Wuhan who were asymptomatic when they arrived in Paris on January 18.

Age and Sex of the first deaths as reported by the China National Health Commission (NHC)

The NHC reported the details of the first 17 deaths up to 24 pm on January 22, 2020. The deaths included 13 males and 4 females. The median age of the deaths was 75 (range 48-89) years.

WHO Risk Assessment: Global Emergency

 WHO coronavirus updates

On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a Global Public Health Emergency.

For more information from the WHO regarding novel coronavirus: WHO page on Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 

Comparisons:

• Every year an estimated 290,000 to 650,000 people die in the world due to complications from seasonal influenza (flu) viruses. This figure corresponds to 795 to 1,781 deaths per day due to the seasonal flu.
• SARS (November 2002 to July 2003): was a coronavirus that originated from Beijing, China, spread to 29 countries, and resulted in 8,096 people infected with 774 deaths (fatality rate of 9.6%). Considering that SARS ended up infecting 5,237 people in mainland China, Wuhan Coronavirus surpassed SARS on January 29, 2020, when Chinese officials confirmed 5,974 cases of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). One day later, on January 30, 2020 the novel coronavirus cases surpassed even the 8,096 cases worldwide which were the final SARS count in 2003.
• MERS (in 2012) killed 858 people out of the 2,494 infected (fatality rate of 34.4%).

Coronavirus Worldometer Sections:

• Coronavirus Update

• Case statistics and graphs

• Death statistics and graphs

• Mortality Rate

• Incubation Period

• Age, Sex, Existing Condition

• Symptoms

• Countries with cases: basic list - detailed list                                                                               
  Sources
  
  
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