Experience of Sars a key factor in countries’ response to coronavirus

Plans of action to combat the Covid-19 outbreak around the world show huge differences

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There has been a huge difference in how the coronavirus pandemic has evolved in different countries. Some have gone nearly two months with just a few dozen cases; others have seen an outbreak explode in weeks.

The statistics about the early evolution of cases can be confusing, because some countries were slow to test or late to announce results. Italy's first case was at the end of January, but the disease is thought to have been circulating there from the middle of the month. Likewise the steep rise of cases in Iran suggests it was spreading long before the first positive test.