The Coronavirus outbreak is the current headline scare. I focus on data, data mining, analyzing trends, momentum (rate of change), and volatility. I like my information succinct and factual, so when I look at Coronavirus COVID-19, I’m not reading opinions and other nonsense, I’ve focused on the facts in the data, its trend, and rate of change. I took some time today to get my head around what is going on. Here, I share the best resources we found.

As of this writing, here are the Total Confirmed Coronavirus cases, Total Deaths, and Total Recovered. I’m using an outstanding website from Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE.

Is Coronavirus COVID-19 being overhyped?

Only time will tell. But, there are things we can do in advance to be pro-active and situationally aware.

The single best resource I’ve found is the map from Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering. It draws data from global disease control agencies on Coronavirus cases for a worldwide view of coronavirus cases in real-time. You can zoom in on the map and get detail to monitor an area.

Here is what the Coronavirus around the world looks like.

Here is the Coronavirus map of the US.

I’m in the Tampa, Florida area, so here is how we can zoom in to see the details.

In the bottom right, we can observe a chart of the mainland China cases, other locations, and total recovered.

At this time, the orange line represents China, and the rate of change has shifted from exponential growth to leveling off. However, there is a risk of a pandemic, according to the CDC. In the CDC Risk Assessment, they say two of the factors have been met for a pandemic, and; “As community spread is detected in more and more countries, the world moves closer toward meeting the third criteria, worldwide spread of the new virus.”

I’m watching for a new virus since it will trigger the label “pandemic.” 

Specifically, here is a useful passage from the CDC to know: (the bold is mine)

Risk Assessment

Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. The risk to the general public from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people; the severity of resulting illness; and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccines or medications that can treat the illness). That this disease has caused severe illness, including illness resulting in death is concerning, especially since it has also shown sustained person-to-person spread in several places. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic. As community spread is detected in more and more countries, the world moves closer toward meeting the third criteria, worldwide spread of the new virus.

It is important to note that current circumstances suggest it is likely that this virus will cause a pandemic. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC’s risk assessment will be updated as needed.

Current risk assessment:

• For most people, the immediate risk of being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low. This virus is not currently widespread in the United States.
• People in places where ongoing community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 has been reported are at elevated risk of exposure, with increase in risk dependent on the location.
• Healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 are at elevated risk of exposure.
• Close contacts of persons with COVID-19 also are at elevated risk of exposure.
• Travelers returning from affected international locations where community spread is occurring also are at elevated risk of exposure, with increase in risk dependent on the location.

CDC has developed guidance to help in the risk assessment and management of people with potential exposures to COVID-19.

What May Happen

More cases of COVID-19 are likely to be identified in the coming days, including more cases in the United States. It’s also likely that sustained person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including throughout communities in the United States. It’s likely that at some point, widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States will occur.

Widespread transmission of COVID-19 would translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. Schools, childcare centers, and workplaces, may experience more absenteeism. Mass gatherings may be sparsely attended or postponed. Public health and healthcare systems may become overloaded, with elevated rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and sectors of the transportation industry may also be affected. Healthcare providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed. At this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it. Nonpharmaceutical interventions would be the most important response strategy.

According to the data from Johns Hopkins CSSE, a peak was reached on February 13, 2020, when the number of cases spiked. February 14 was also a big day of new cased reporting. However, just looking at the downtrend in the data before the spike, it seems like China may have underreported leading up to the 13th.

Coronavirus is getting the blame for the stock market decline. If you’ve been reading my observations here the past few months, you know I don’t believe news drives the stock market as much as people think. To be sure, we can simply look back over past observations, and it may surprise you.

So, February 19 was the peak price for the stock market index, which I labeled on the chart as well as the February 13 spike. If the news of Coronavirus is causing the stock market to fall, it underreacted.

I’m not downplaying Cornonviris COVID-19 as the risks are real and it’s an asymmetric uncertainty. If we get it wrong, the risk of loss is substantial, and we just don’t know how it will unfold. What I do know is what I can control. Be prepared with situational awareness. What if it does become a pandemic? Prepare for the possibility as best you can, then let it all unfold.

I glance over headlines to see what the herd is thinking and doing, but I prefer analyzing the data myself, directly. So, I’ll continue monitoring the interactive web-based dashboard to track COVID-19 in real-time with the exceptional resource Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE.

I’m also monitoring the narrative from the CDC updates at Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

And then there is the Florida Health Department, which has a dynamic page that may be useful for confirmation: Florida 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

 

So, those are the resources. It seems the essential thing to do is be prepared with supplies and monitor the number of outbreaks, its trend, and momentum. But, maybe more important is the possibility of it becoming a pandemic, which will be called if a new virus. It’s worth reading again from the CDC:

That this disease has caused severe illness, including illness resulting in death is concerning, especially since it has also shown sustained person-to-person spread in several places. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic. As community spread is detected in more and more countries, the world moves closer toward meeting the third criteria, worldwide spread of the new virus.

It is important to note that current circumstances suggest it is likely that this virus will cause a pandemic. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC’s risk assessment will be updated as needed.

Is this really driving the stock market?

Go back and read my observations for the past few months and decide for yourself. I believe it was initially just the market, doing what it does. However, if this does spread rapidly in the US and cannot be contained as well in the US as they supposedly have in China, and is a pandemic, it could be just enough catalyst to tip over what is already a slowing economy.

Beyond that, I encourage you to learn from the past, as I do, by reading what was just a few weeks ago.

November 16, 2019: Periods of low volatility are often followed by volatility expansions

November 21, 2019: I was quoted in Barron’s: Investors are ignoring two major risks to stocks, warns fund manager

January 6, 2020: I was quoted in MarketWatch: U.S.-Iran tensions will spark increased volatility — here’s how to play stocks, fund manager says

January 21, 2020: What could go wrong

At the time, you have thought I was early, but… it wasn’t raining when Noah build the ark. 

Mike Shell is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Shell Capital Management, LLC, and the portfolio manager of ASYMMETRY® Global Tactical. Mike Shell and Shell Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment advisor in Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. Shell Capital is focused on asymmetric risk-reward and absolute return strategies and provides investment advice and portfolio management only to clients with a signed and executed investment management agreement. The observations shared on this website are for general information only and should not be construed as advice to buy or sell any security. Securities reflected are not intended to represent any client holdings or any recommendations made by the firm. I observe the charts and graphs to visually see what is going on with price trends and volatility, it is not intended to be used in making any determination as to when to buy or sell any security, or which security to buy or sell. Instead, these are observations of the data as a visual representation of what is going on with the trend and its volatility for situational awareness. I do not necessarily make any buy or sell decisions based on it. Any opinions expressed may change as subsequent conditions change.  Do not make any investment decisions based on such information as it is subject to change. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal an investor must be willing to bear. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All information and data are deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. The presence of this website on the Internet shall in no direct or indirect way raise an implication that Shell Capital Management, LLC is offering to sell or soliciting to sell advisory services to residents of any state in which the firm is not registered as an investment advisor. The views and opinions expressed in ASYMMETRY® Observations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect a position of  Shell Capital Management, LLC. The use of this website is subject to its terms and conditions.