WHO updates COVID-19 death stats

The coronavirus outbreak has a higher overall mortality rate than previously thought. At 3.4 percent, it surpasses seasonal flu but falls short of the 10 percent death rate for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or the 34 percent rate for Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)—both also coronaviruses. The World Health Organization noted Tuesday that the calculation does not include infected people who didn’t need medical attention. The mortality rate from the new coronavirus is much higher among the elderly and infirm than in the rest of the population.

What’s new in the fight against the disease? The United States, where nine people have died from COVID-19 in Washington state, revised coronavirus protocols so more people can get tested. Iran canceled Friday Islamic prayers to curtail the spread of the virus. Saudi Arabia banned its residents from going on Islamic pilgrimages to Mecca. And Italy decided to close all of its schools and universities until mid-March.

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