On coronavirus: figures from US I note that 14 people have now died in US from this disease and yet only 250 other cases have been identified. Would I be right in concluding that as the mortality rate is 1%, around 900 other cases are unidentified because of the absence of testing kits?

Eoin Treacy's view

The WHO announced a mortality rate of 3.4% today but in order to come up with a true figure a large statistical sample needs to be taken and as of today only about 2000 people have been tested in the USA. A reliable figure for the mortality rate will probably only be arrived at after the virus has run its course and emergency measures give way to more careful study. The most relevant statistic for subscribers is the most at risk group is over 70. That means look after yourself and do everything to protect at risk individuals from infection.