Perspective on coronavirus: How does it stack up with the flu, historic outbreaks?

As figures stand now, the new coronavirus disease — Covid-19 — is 20- to 40-times more deadly than the typical flu, depending on where you are in the world.

Experts agree that it will eventually spread everywhere. The case-fatality ratio also could drop as more data becomes available.

Putting it into perspective

Typical flu season

Death toll: 290,000 to 650,000; 12,000 to 61,000 in U.S.*

Fatality rate: 0.1% (1 death per 1,000 cases)

*= Annual estimates from 2010-19

Covid-2019

Death toll: 2,867; none in U.S.**

Fatality rate: 2-4%**

**= Data gathered to date

2009 swine flu

Death toll: 575,000; 12,500 in U.S.

Fatality rate: <0.1%

2003 SARS outbreak

Death toll: 774; none in U.S.

Fatality rate: 9.6%***

***= From 8,100 confirmed cases

1968 Hong Kong flu

Death Toll: 1 million (500,000 in Hong Kong); 100,000 in U.S.

Fatality rate: 0.5%

1957 Asian flu

Death toll: 1.1 million; 116,000 in U.S.

Fatality rate: .67%

1918 Spanish flu

Death toll: 50-100 million; 675,000 in U.S.

Fatality rate: 2.5%

Sources: CDC, World Health Organization, STAT, Pathogens journal