Current death rate corrected for diagnosis date is running about 4.2%. The traditional Flu is something like 0.2%. That's why people are alarmed, on top of the fact that Coronavirus seems to be significantly more contagious and for longer.Those with compromised immune systems like the elderly are still the only ones (IMHO) who really need to be ready to hunker down.
Two things 1) While an epidemic is ongoing the estimates for death rate and Ro (infectiousness) are just that -
estimates and can be off by an order of magnitude either way(10x more or 10x less) 2) The data may be grossly distorted(relative to a developed country that is prepared) because it is still primarily from Wuhan (they were unprepared)
2a - The chinese Gov knew about this since early Dec and ordered the info withheld (there's a link below) and that's
not necessarily a bad decision because it would have started a panic and it's likely that they were ramping up test and treatment capabilities during that time and just didn't get there in time for Wuhan.(this will be a big issue when they are called on the carpet for it - now just isn't the time) In January- Wuhan could test about 200/daily, by Feb 3 that was up to 4000/daily. In jan they had about 100 suitable beds for 8 mil people in city. They built more in Feb. Due to that delay Wuhan went ahead with a potluck dinner for about 50,ooo people and 5 mil passed thru the city during chinese new year just before the quarantine was imposed. (similarly in the US - last week there was only 1 lab for testing and diagnosis. this week there are 40, availability of test kits is ramping up quickly)
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The latest death rate published (link below) is about 0.2 % in mainland china but
outside Hubei province.Hubei is much higher.Wuhan higher still.
@bwelbo's rate is either whole country or maybe worldwide
This is still more than double a garden variety flu(< 0.1 % )
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death rate differences - looks that you used the JAMA formula which seems best but other articles may use the other two formulas (link below explains them)
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Susceptibility (link below) - "analysis of death cases, it emerged that the demographic profile was mainly
male, accounting for 2/3, females accounting for 1/3, and is mainly elderly,
more than 80% are elderly over 60 years old, and more than 75% had underlying diseases present such as cardiovascular and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and, in some cases, tumor."
Note - The number of cases will always be under-reported because most are minor and will not seek a doctor or report.
Link below explains formulas,susceptibility and subdivides those for different areas in China.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-rate/
Article below regards china withholding info of outbreak .(which explains other outbreaks escaping quarantine)
https://nypost.com/2020/02/29/china...rus-in-december-ordered-cover-up-report-says/
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Todays update
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/