No need to panic, coronavirus is not as deadly as others: Doctor

Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, Walter Reed Army Institute, joins CNBC's "Power Lunch" team to break down the latest on the coronavirus after stocks took a hit over fears of the infectious illness.

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC on Friday the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak in China is likely more contagious but less severe than the SARS epidemic that rattled markets in 2003 and slowed global economic growth.

“We probably will have some isolated outbreaks [of coronavirus in the U.S.], but that doesn’t mean it’ll translate to an epidemic,” said Gottlieb, a physician, health advocate and Pfizer board member. He left the Food and Drug Administration in April.

The total number of coronavirus cases in China rose to over 900, with 26 deaths. The flu-like virus, which was first identified less than a month ago in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province, has also infected at least 15 people around the world, mostly in Asia. The U.S. reported one case on Tuesday, a Snohomish County, Washington, resident who was returning from China.

Gottlieb told CNBC that in comparison with SARS, this appears to be more contagious and less severe.

“But the question is, has it achieved sort of that golden point where it’s contagious enough to spread rapidly but still severe enough to cause a lot of harm?” he said a “Squawk Box” interview. “We don’t know that yet.”

Gottlieb said there could be thousands of mild cases that will likely go undiagnosed and clear up on their own.

Physicians have compared coronavirus to the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, which had a short incubation period of two to seven days. At the time, World Health Organization officials said it was less infectious than the flu. While there were just eight confirmed cases in the U.S., it infected 8,098 people worldwide and killed 774.

SARS, however, didn’t spread as fast in its first few weeks as the coronavirus, according to WHO data. It took almost two months for SARS to spread to 456 people. By comparison, the 2019 coronavirus has already infected more than 900 people in less than a month.

Some experts have also said that higher stats could be due to health officials learning from the SARS outbreak and can now confirm cases much more quickly.

National Institutes of Health disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNBC earlier Friday that China is “doing much better this time” than with SARS.

“From the feedback we’re getting, in a real time basis, it’s an enormous difference, in a positive way,” said the director of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The fast-spreading infection prompted local authorities to quarantine several major cities and cancel Lunar New Year’s events. More than a dozen Chinese cities, impacting more than 30 million people, were placed on lockdown.

Several companies, including Walt Disney’s Shanghai Disney, are suspending operations until further notice to prevent the outbreak from spreading. McDonald’s suspended business in five cities in Hubei province.

Fauci said there’s still much to be learned about the outbreak.

“We don’t have definitive information now about shedding a virus and we’re going to get that information pretty soon as these patients are starting to be studied,” he said. “But if they were shedding the virus before showing symptoms, it would not be surprising.”



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[Stevie]

It's funny how it changed when it became a political weapon.

[truthbearer]

I’m shocked they haven’t deleted this video

[hybridhd]

If you have a godly immune system you don't have much to worry about period. Haven't been sick sense i was like 10 and im 24 and living my best life. If your scared just stay inside.

[palxcios]

They're making it into a way bigger deal than it really is.

[Willy_Tepes]

People: Don't worry, it mostly affects old people with health problems.
Me: Looking at my 80 year old mother and her oxygen tank.

[skyecwazycorner]

It's like the flu only older or already sick people will die
Still sucks tho :(

[mannylugz]

Hopefully we wont hear these two words in the near future: SAFE ZONES.

[kcab]

The virus isn’t that bad, a family in my city got it and they’re all fine, I’m just scared for my grandma and grandpa who both have had cancer and they’re not the healthiest people

[yingfungchan]

Chinese government always covers up important data.

[dr-syfs]

Im afraid, we should declare national emergency each year to contain the seasonal flu, close airports, mobilize the army, reinstate the draft, have congressional hearing, 24/7 media hysteria coverage, presidential speach, tell people to get a mortgage to get survival supplies and barricade themselves in their bunker, the seasonal flu! Its spreading! Dont just stand there, run! Panic!

[theeggtimertictic]

Yes that's why they've cut off a city of 11 million people ... nothing to see here.

[melly]

Dr. Modjarrad, are your opinions still the same or does your expertise and the change of current events throughout the world make you feel differently? As you can see during this interview the symptoms are runny nose, headache, sore throat and fever. NOW the symptoms have changed according the CDC and WHO to Fever, Dry cough, Fatigue, shortness of breath. Any insight.

[Doubleaa]

I caught it and died, but I'm okay now

[uom-vs]

Seriously, people who get totally freaked out over this Covid-19 saga as if it marks the end of the world should do a research on the Black Death!

[BlackCat-tgth]

- we should be cautious, like with any other sickness. If you are normal sick, you stay home and wait it out, more serious, you go to the hospital

- being scared, mass panic, is always bad, that's exactly what the media is doing tho

[neilsant]

Dr. Kayvon's statement is totally different to what the reaction & actions we are seeing from government & its chinese people

[Hotsince]

That's an outright lie that it was only "identified 3 weeks ago".

China's main biodefense lab is in Wuhan. American scientists warned Wuhan in Feb 2017 that the lab was extremely high risk and that events like this could easily happen without proper management. The wet market they are trying to blame is just 8.6km away from the lab. Anyone putting 2 and 2 together yet..?

If it's not that serious I'd love to see how he reacts to being near someone with it and I'll bet that he's preparing HIS family for pandemic. China knew about this in Dec 2019 so it's had a month to mutate and spread globally at various rates. The Wuhan government allowed large banquets to go ahead even after cases were confirmed. This is insane. We all need to stay put and protect ourselves til it burns itself out.

[johomerza]

Nice headline and we are supposed to believe you because you always tell the truth? Get is why the news should never have started telling lies before and should always tell the facts and the facts on both sides of a story. Maybe then we would take you seriously.

[SushiExpress]

Everybody gangsta till fast forwarding to 2021 and this virus has infected every continent on the planet.

[TwoBlockAnime]

Lol they did a complete 180 turn on this the next day