It's clear the WHO message is trying to present the bad news in the best possible light. The sentences about transmissibility are very obviously constructed extremely carefully. However, I do take away from the report that Governments should get serious about containing this, because the experience of China shows that this is possible, whereas with the flu it's known to be impossible.

I think that is the right message at the moment. Simply acquiescing to some undetermined percentage of the elderly and random people of all ages dying is not a good strategy, and I think that is what he is trying to communicate.