U.K. Virus Adviser Warns 20,000 Dead Would Be Good Outcome
Mar.17 — Patrick Vallance, the U.K. government’s chief scientific adviser, told a panel of lawmakers including former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt that it would be “horrible” but a “good outcome” if Britain can keep its number of deaths below 20,000. “Every year, in seasonal flu, the number of excess deaths is thought to be 8,000, so if we can get this down to 20,000 and below that’s a good outcome in terms of where we’d hope to get to with this outbreak,” Vallance said.