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I would like a bit more clarity on this chart [1] comparing R_0 and case fatality rate of COVID-19 with other similar diseases. I am trying to understand why Eb
by abdullahkhalids 7y ago
I would like a bit more clarity on this chart [1] comparing R_0 and case fatality rate of COVID-19 with other similar diseases. I am trying to understand why Ebola did not kill as many people as COVID-19 has.
My understanding is that R_0 just depends somehow only on the virus itself, while there is another factor R = a R_0, which determines the actual reproduction number "in practice", taking into account isolation measures and such. So for Ebola R was much lower than R_0, so a lot fewer people died compared to COVID-19. Is this correct?
[1] https://media.nature.com/lw800/magazine-assets/d41586-020-00758-2/d41586-020-00758-2_17810952.png https://media.nature.com/lw800/magazine-assets/d41586-020-00...
- lifeformed 7y agoI think Ebola killed people too fast, so it didn't have time to spread as far.
- evgen 7y agoDiseases that kill people fast are also much easier to track. They become very obvious and the short incubation period means that it is easier to track the contacts of people who were exposed to the victim.
- abdullahkhalids 7y agoI get that, I am trying to understand the math and model behind this. Let me clarify the paradox: Say Ebola has a R_0=4. That means one person infects 4 people under some circumstances. It doesn't matter if Ebola kills someone in 3 weeks or in 5 seconds, under some circumstances one person must be infecting 4. What are those circumstances, and how are they different from the actual circumstances which led to the Ebola epidemic stopping.
- watwut 7y agoThose circumstances are that we dont know Ebola is spreading. Actual circumstances are quarantine, disinfection and other intentional measures to stop the spread.