
The New England Journal of Medicine has published an editorial on Friday updating information about COVID-19. In their editorial the authors point out that the virus is structurally similar to the one that caused the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003.
While the reported mortality rate has been between 2% and 3%, the facts emerging suggest that a significant number of people may contract the illness without major symptoms. Certainly in some it may present itself as little more than a mild case of the sniffles. The underlying data suggest that the symptoms vary, and fewer than one in six of the cases reported were “severe.”
So, many cases of the illness may go unreported. It may turn out that this is little more than a severe case of seasonal influenza. Those with weak immune systems may be particularly at risk of serious illness. However, most cases will not be severe.
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