No, coronavirus isn't the same as the flu

The true danger of coronavirus is unlikely to be the death toll, as experts say health systems could easily become overwhelmed by the number of cases requiring hospitalisation. AFP/STRPARIS: Aches and pains, sore throat, fever - although they may feel similar to those suffering from their symptoms, the novel coronavirus is not the same as the seasonal flu, experts stressed Wednesday.COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, proves deadly in around 3.5 per cent of confirmed cases.

"That said, it is around 2 per cent on average, which is about 20 times higher than for the seasonal flu lineages currently in circulation."But the true danger of coronavirus is unlikely to be the death toll. Experts say health systems could easily become overwhelmed by the number of cases requiring hospitalisation - and, often ventilation to support breathing.

"It's true that if you're older you're at greater risk, but serious cases can also happen in relatively young people with no prior conditions," said French deputy health minister Jerome Salomon.That's a reproduction rate up to twice as high as seasonal flu, which typically infects 1.3 new people for each patient."We've studied it closely," he said."This new virus resembles the flu in terms of physical symptoms but there are huge differences.

Even if a vaccine magically appeared, getting everyone access it to it is no small order. Health authorities regularly complain that not enough people receive the flu vaccine to guarantee"herd immunity".But the new virus does share some characteristics with flu, notably the measures each one of us can personally take to slow the infection rate:

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