Corona Virus: Spread Information, Not Panic
Written in early March 2020 as COVID-19 began circulating globally, this post challenges what the writer sees as reckless fear-mongering by medical professionals in Cameroon. By presenting case fatality rates, severity breakdowns, and age-stratified mortality data, the writer argues for calm, evidence-based communication and correct public health guidance.
I see that a lot of people in the medical sector, who should know better, are the ones at the forefront of spreading panic and fear among Cameroonians
Just this evening, I read a post about the French man's probable movement in Cameroon, detailing the number of people that may have been infected? To what end, really? That people might feel better or worse?
Not cool.
Share information, not panic.
The virus is here, but what is the reality we need to face? Perhaps, the numbers and stats I want to show you might help you feel better.
As of February 25;
80,000 people were recorded to have been infected globally by the virus.
Out of these, 77,000 of them are in China. That's 96% of the entire victims concentrated in one place.
Of all the cases recorded so far;
81% of the cases are mild. 14% of them are moderate. Only 5% of them are critical.
This means that the chance of recovering from this virus is high.
The 2% fatality rate of those who got to the critical stage is even 5 times better than the fatality rate of SARS.
If we consider the age of those infected, then you'd realize that the possibility of dying is even lower.
The death rate of people under 50 years old is only 0.2%
Rate for people between 50-59 is 1.3% 60-69 is 3.6% 70-79 is 8.0% 80+ is 14.8%
What does this tell you? That you are more likely to die of panic than die of Corona.
On Feb 10, 2020, it was reported that 108 people died from Corona in one day. The kind of news that should send terror to our hearts.
But when you consider that number against cancer which kills an average of 1,660 people daily, in the US alone! Then you'd know that Corona is not the worst thing to fear.
The important thing here is that you should continue to take the necessary preventive measures as you pray for the world to contain this virus soon.
And lastly, protective masks are for infected people, not you who is healthy! Infected people need masks to ensure they don't spread the virus. It's not for you.
Spread correct information. Give hope to people. Stay safe too.
Have a good evening.
- Alombah Delight
The post arrives at a moment of genuine uncertainty—the virus was novel, transmission patterns unclear, and misinformation spreading rapidly across African social media. In Cameroon, as elsewhere, early reporting often emphasized worst-case scenarios and speculative contact-tracing details, fueling anxiety rather than preparing populations for measured response.
The piece reflects a serious tension that defined early pandemic communication in the Global South: the need to avoid both dangerous complacency and counterproductive panic. Its core argument—that accurate data and proportionality serve public health better than alarm—remains pertinent whenever health crises compete for attention. The closing note on mask use (protective equipment for the infected, not the healthy) captures a moment before messaging shifted, making it a useful document of evolving guidance.