POSITIVE. MUCH IS STILL UNKNOWN ABOUT COVID-19, BUT HEALTH EXPERTS DO WARN THE VIRUS IS MORE SEVERE THAN THE SEASONAL FLU. KCCI’S LAUREN DONOVAN IS LIVE AT THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH WITH A COMPARISON. LAUREN? LAUREN: GOOD MORNING. AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT TELLS US THERE ARE SOME SIMILARITIES. HOWEVER, HE SAYS EVIDENCE SHOWS COVID-19 IS FAR MORE SEVERE. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF THAT, ESPECIALLY IN MORTALITY RATE. THE DOCTOR SAYS COVID-19’S MORTALITY RATE IS TENFOLD THAN THAT OF THE SEASONAL INFLUENZA. SINCE SEPTEMBER, IOWA SAW AN ESTIMATED 100 INFLUENZA-RELATED DEATHS. IN CONTRAST, COVID-19, WHICH HAS BEEN HERE A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME, IS LINKED TO 200 DEATHS STATEWIDE. DR. MARK RUPP SAYS THERE’S NO IMMUNITY OR VACCINE AND THE VIRUS SPREADS VERY EASILY. HE SAYS THE NOVELTY OF THIS NEW CORONAVIRUS IS WHAT PUTS MORE PEOPLE AT RISK.>> THIS IS IN SOME WAYS KIND OF A WARNING BELL, IF YOU WILL, FOR WHAT WE CAN EXPECT OVER TIME. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE NEW AND EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES. SO WITH INFLUENZA, WE ALL HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH IT EITHER FROM GETTING VACCINATED OR HAVING THE NATURAL INFECTION AND SO MANY OF US OR AT LEAST PARTIALLY IMMUNE TO INFLUENZA. WITH COVID-19, NOBODY’S IMMUNE. NOBODY HAS SEEN THIS VIRUS BEFORE LAUREN: DR. RUPP SAYS COVID-19 HAS A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING DOWN INTO THE LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT. THIS HAS RESULTED IN HIGHER NUMBER OF CASES OF PNEUMO
Doctor describes difference between flu and COVID-19
Much is still unknown about COVID-19, but health experts warn the virus is more severe than the seasonal flu.According to an infectious disease doctor, there are some similarities. However, Dr. Mark Rupp, with the University of Nebraska Medical Center said evidence shows COVID-19 is far more severe. Rupp said COVID-19’s mortality rate is tenfold than that of the seasonal influenza. Since September, Iowa has reported about 100 influenza-related deaths. In contrast, COVID-19 is linked to 265 deaths statewide, since the start of the pandemic in March.Rupp said there’s no immunity or vaccine, and the virus spreads very easily. Rupp said the novelty of this new coronavirus is what puts more people at risk.”This is in some ways kind of a warning bell, if you will, for what we can expect over time. We’re going to continue to see new and emerging infectious diseases.” Rupp said. “So with influenza, we all have some experience with it, either from getting vaccinated or having the natural infection. And so many of us are at least partially immune to influenza. With COVID-19, nobody’s immune. Nobody has seen this virus before.”Rupp said COVID-19 has a higher likelihood of getting down into the lower respiratory tract, which has resulted in higher frequencies of pneumonia cases.
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Much is still unknown about COVID-19, but health experts warn the virus is more severe than the seasonal flu.
According to an infectious disease doctor, there are some similarities. However, Dr. Mark Rupp, with the University of Nebraska Medical Center said evidence shows COVID-19 is far more severe.
Rupp said COVID-19’s mortality rate is tenfold than that of the seasonal influenza. Since September, Iowa has reported about 100 influenza-related deaths. In contrast, COVID-19 is linked to 265 deaths statewide, since the start of the pandemic in March.
Rupp said there’s no immunity or vaccine, and the virus spreads very easily.
Rupp said the novelty of this new coronavirus is what puts more people at risk.
“This is in some ways kind of a warning bell, if you will, for what we can expect over time. We’re going to continue to see new and emerging infectious diseases.” Rupp said. “So with influenza, we all have some experience with it, either from getting vaccinated or having the natural infection. And so many of us are at least partially immune to influenza. With COVID-19, nobody’s immune. Nobody has seen this virus before.”
Rupp said COVID-19 has a higher likelihood of getting down into the lower respiratory tract, which has resulted in higher frequencies of pneumonia cases.
