Based on current available data, the virus is thought to have a fatality rate of about 2% -- that's higher than influenza, which is about 0.1%, but much lower than severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, (9.6%) and MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome (35%).
For many people, symptoms are just like those of a common cold, and may go away on their own.In China, more than half of all cases have recovered and been discharged from hospital -- 47,204 out of a total of 80,151 cases, according to the country's National Health Commission.
For those with a weakened immune system, the elderly and the very young, there's a chance the virus could cause a more serious illness such as pneumonia or bronchitis. People with symptoms that feel worse than a standard cold should see their doctor.