As @clacke@libranet.de pointed out, the Wuhan outbreak currently has an estimated fatality rate of 2%, which is extremely high. Fortunately, it has only infected a very small number of people.
Compare to its relative #SARS which struck around 8,000 people over a period of a year or two, killing nearly 10%.
In either case, due to the high death rate, the key thing is to contain its spread, so it doesn’t become widespread like influenza.