You can call it fear mongering if you like. I prefer to call it keeping the public informed. IF this virus is no worse than the flu, why are national public health officials from multiple countries refusing to allow cruise ships unload their passengers? Why did Australia set up an off shore island to house incoming exposed citizens? Why are we housing our citizens on military bases when they get out of China? You have read the stat that while the death toll ratio is similar to influenza, there are still 17%s of the people infected with the virus in CRITICAL CONDITION in the hospital? Influenza doesn't do that. While the percentage of fatalities may remain fairly constant, I suspect that is more due to better diagnosis of mild cases, not that the virus is somehow less serious than originally thought. Part of the concern with this virus IMO is the chicanery of the Chinese government. It appears at least possible to me that this is a weaponized virus that escaped from a lab. We'll get a much better handle on it when it gets rolling in more transparent countries.