Why the coronavirus outbreak isn't likely to be a repeat of the 1918 Spanish flu

The number of people infected with the new coronavirus has surpassed 100,000 worldwide, and deaths have been recorded in 18 countries and territories. Health experts say COVID-19 is more lethal than the seasonal flu.

But some experts say based on what's known right now, there are no signs it will be as catastrophic as the worst pandemic in recent memory: the 1918 Spanish flu.

We don't know for certain, but at this point, "I think it's nowhere near as bad as 1918," said Dr. James Cherry, an infectious diseases