Wuhan Pneumonia Has Lower Mortality Rate Than SARS and MERS but Similar Symptoms

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Since its initial outbreak in China, the number of infections worldwide of the so-called 'Wuhan pneumonia' has been increasing. The cause is a novel coronavirus. Coronaviruses are also responsible for SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). However, Wuhan pneumonia is known to have a lower fatality rate than SARS or MERS. Although human-to-human transmission has been confirmed, making large-scale spread possible, opinions differ regarding the speed of transmission.

◆ Fatality rate 1.9%... One-fifth of SARS= According to the medical community on the 22nd, the fatality rate of Wuhan pneumonia is estimated to be around 1.9%. This figure is based on confirmed cases and deaths in China. According to the Chinese National Health Commission, as of 11 p.m. the previous day (local time), 6 out of 318 confirmed infected patients had died. The fatality rate of Wuhan pneumonia is lower than that of SARS (10%) or MERS (20-30%). Professor Zhou Zijun of Peking University stated, "Wuhan pneumonia appears to be much less severe than the viruses that caused MERS or SARS."

The novel coronavirus causing Wuhan pneumonia shows a high similarity to the causative agents of SARS and MERS. According to an analysis of the genetic sequence of Wuhan pneumonia by domestic health authorities, it was found to have 89.1% homology with a 'bat-derived SARS-like coronavirus.' The homology with SARS and MERS is 77% and 50%, respectively.

◆ High fever and cough, severe cases may result in death= Symptoms are also similar. Like SARS and MERS, pneumonia accompanied by respiratory infections such as high fever and cough appears. Severe patients may die from symptoms such as respiratory distress. The novel coronavirus is believed to be mostly transmitted through droplets (saliva droplets). Airborne transmission is limited to special cases such as when artificial respiration is performed in medical institutions.

Wuhan pneumonia is presumed to have been transmitted via wild animals, as the majority of initial patients had visited the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan City, China. SARS and MERS were also transmitted to humans via wild animals. However, SARS spread through bats and civet cats, while MERS spread through bats and camels.

◆ Divergent opinions on transmissibility= Health authorities are taking a cautious stance, stating that additional information is needed regarding the speed of spread. Park Hye-kyung, head of the Crisis Response Bioterrorism Division at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "There is still a lot of limited information to determine the level of transmissibility compared to previous infectious diseases."

Opinions in the medical community are divided. Professor Jeon Byung-yul of the Graduate School of Medicine at CHA University said, "The infectivity does not seem to be as high as SARS or MERS," adding, "We need to continue monitoring the situation." On the other hand, Professor Kim Woo-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital stated, "Considering the number of confirmed Wuhan pneumonia cases and deaths so far, the transmission speed is estimated to be faster than SARS, but the fatality rate is lower."