evidence: Fauci said COVID-19 is at least 10 times "more lethal" than the seasonal flu, even if the mortality rate drops far below the World Health Organization's current estimate of 3.4%. [...] Since COVID-19 emerged in China two and a half months ago, "it clearly is not as lethal ... but it certainly spreads better," he said, adding seasonal flu has a mortality rate of 0.1%. The WHO's estimated mortality rate for COVID-19 started off at 2%, Fauci said. If you count all the estimated cases of people who may have it but haven't been diagnosed yet, the mortality rate is probably closer to 1%, he said, "which means it's 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu."