SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash — Many of you are asking how the coronavirus compares to the seasonal flu.
To compare the two, we used the latest data from Monday afternoon.
According to the World Health Organization, there are 62 total confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States and six deaths. So far, all six of those deaths happened in Washington state.
As for Washington's confirmed cases, the state health department is reporting 18.
But how do these numbers compare to the seasonal flu?
Nationally, the CDC estimates between 310,000 and 560,000 flu-related hospitalizations, along with a death range of 18,000 up to 46,000. This data is from October 2019 through February 22, 2020.
In Washington so far this season, we've had 74 flu-related deaths and 221 hospitalizations in Spokane County.
But the key may not be in the number of cases but the death rate.
On average, the seasonal flu kills 0.1% of people who become affected, while this novel coronavirus has a death rate of 1.4 percent.
While the coronavirus is caused by one virus, the flu can be caused by any of several different strains.
Both can be passed along in similar ways, but this coronavirus seems to be spreading through the air. These means tiny droplets from a sneeze or a cough could still be in the air even after an infected person has already left.
Right now, there is no known cure or vaccine for the coronavirus.
