Over 1,000 dead and 42,000 confirmed cases at the time of this post. Another 180,000+ under watch. So far, the virus has a 20% mortality rate among cases in which there was a final outcome (patient recovered or died) and a 2% mortality rate overall when taking into account people that are still sick. Among cases in which the patients are still sick, approximately 19% of them are in serious or critical condition.
Health officials are investigating the possibility that it can be transmitted environmentally (i.e. through drinking water and whatnot) after an elderly woman with a leaky pipe in her apartment contracted the virus. She lived ten floors below another confirmed patient.
In fact, authorities haven't ruled out the possibility of the virus being airborne, either.
On average, an infected patient could infect 3-4 other people.
President Xi Jinping, accused of being aloof amid the crisis, made a very public appearance in Beijing.
www.nytimes.com