I didn't read anything about the coronavirus until I read this thread. I was aware of it's existence and knew people were panicking because I heard talk about it. From what I've read so far it sounds like over 2,800 people have died from this coronavirus outbreak. But if this turns out to only be an average year for the flu, it will kill 400,000 people. It's no surprise this originated in China. Nearly all of the new influenza and coronaviruses come from China. Offhand, the only exception I can think of is MERS.
On a related topic: How does the CDC decide which strains of flu to vaccinate against each year? Some strains of flu that end up in our vaccines don't even exist in the U.S. Not yet. But they do in filthy, overcrowded, animals everywhere, and people eat anything that moves, s**t in the street, China. It's like a time machine, but when they go over there to study the viruses they don't know if they'll be here this year or 10 years from now. They only know that what's in China at the present will be here in the future unless all the carriers die first. Like a fire that burns itself out and doesn't spread, you get lucky and the virus doesn't leave the hot zone. But that doesn't happen very often. It's not in the virus' best interest to kill its host before it spreads, and this is where natural selection fits in. Survival of the fittest and sometimes stealthiest.
The virologists have to decide, out of all the different flu viruses, which 3 they think will be the biggest problem the next flu season, then the drug companies make the vaccine for the season. And it always starts in that overflowing Petri dish full of tainted specimens called China. And the flu shot will only work that one year because viruses mutate so fast. Then along comes this coronavirus with no vaccine, and no real hope of an effective vaccine being produced anytime soon. The good new is, if you're healthy and you get it, there's a very good chance you'll be okay. If you're sick with pneumonia or the flu already your odds are still pretty good.