Because it's novel and incredibly contagious. Unlike the flu, where many get seasonal flu shots, no one has antibodies for the virus so there's no herd immunity

Because it's novel and incredibly contagious. Unlike the flu, where many get seasonal flu shots, no one has antibodies for the virus so there's no herd immunity. Meaning it's just spreading like wild fire. And it's all happening at once so healthcare systems are overwhelmed, which affects patient outcomes. I suspect the number of deaths are quite a bit higher because of those dying without getting tested.