That's a fair point, the rate of increase in cases in China is now lower than the rate of increase in some countries. At the same time, I think that any numbers should be taken with a large grain of salt, both on the up and the downside. Not all countries test suspected cases in large quantities, reporting is inconsistent between countries and over time from single countries. Some countries are still in 'head in the sand' mode and asymptomatic spreading could translate in many more cases than are registered.

The ratios of cases:deceased and recovered:deceased are converging, which at least reduces the error bars around some of the more important numerical parameters of this particular virus.

The most important thing to realize is that R0 is not a hard attribute of the virus but something that we have some control over. By reducing R0 through the application of best practices we can stretch the onset of the peak and hence reduce the number of fatalities and the number of people that end up in a critical condition.

Some examples of best practices:

- good personal hygiene, in other words: wash your hands

- don't travel if you don't have to

- don't touch your face all the time (very hard, subconscious)

- if you think you have 'a' bug don't go to work and stay indoors until you've been tested (call the doctor, they should have a protocol)

- avoid crowds

The next few weeks will be crucial and will have an enormous effect on how we (collectively) will look back at this in a few months time.

I feel super sorry for everybody living in countries that do not have free healthcare, the virus will have a disproportional effect on people of different wealth status but in countries without free healthcare that effect will be vastly amplified.