Tragically enough it is and for the most cynical of reasons.
The media are driving people to panic that is way out of proportion to the numbers of cases. The United States is completely different from the countries of China and Italy, which are not only far more densely populated nationwide, but they have a far-higher number of smokers, especially male smokers. I believe the majority of Chinese men, for example, are smokers. Male smokers over 50 are at higher risk than other groups from this disease. This makes sense it would be smokers at higher risk because they are more likely to suffer from respiratory damage and diseases than other people. The United States has a smoker population of only around 15 percent now.
It is also irresponsible of public officials to go around speculating on how bad this disease is going to get. I keep hearing and reading people trying to lecture the rest of us about "exponential growth" which doesn't mean anything outside of math. When I hear public officials saying two MILLION American people could die of this disease, a disease which has killed a mere 60-plus as of today, and most of those in a Seattle nursing home, then I get cynical. The Spanish flu didn't have anywhere near those fatalities, and there was a world war going on to amplify the spread. No such situation exists today.
Speaking of which, the numbers of cases diagnosed in the U.S. continues on an upward trend, but the deaths are at a mere 69 (graphics from the Daily Mail):
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