One thing I wonder about is if the death rate is about the same as flu, why are the health organizations so worried about it? Someone above answered my question about death rates being higher if medical care isn't available - I guess that is the concern...? I mean, I get flu every year and WISH I was dead, but somehow muddle through without medical care. But my question is: does SARS have a similar death rate to flu only when good medical care is available for all patients? And what is the death rate if there isn't care available?
The death rate for SARS is much worse than the flu. It's much worse than the worst flu epidemic that ever hit this country.
It's not the flu at all, of course. It's a different virus that causes many of the same symptoms. In Hong Kong, it's sent over 20% of the people who caught it into the intensive care units of the hospitals. No flu does that.
I think that indicates that at least 20% would probably die without serious medical intervention.