Just as in many recent global so-called epidemics, this is just another Virus that has been around for a loooooong time.
The
hundreds
of infection cases recorded in China and other few countries by the new nCoV Coronavirus is almost insignificant if you compare them to the Influenza Virus associated deaths only in the U.S.A. during 2018-2019 (Calculated around
33,157 deaths
and around
35,520,883 symptomatic Illnesses
associated to Influenza virus)*.
The Coronavirus family of viruses were discovered since the 1960´s and have been considered the causing agents of common Flu´s in adults and children, with some cases of Pneumonia or Bronchitis. Some other strands of Cornonavirus have been blamed for other Viral outbreaks in the past, such as SARS in 2003, which reported 800 deaths worldwide. This new strand of Coronavirus is considered less harmful even.
*Data obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S.A.