“As the number of coronavirus cases mount in the US, experts are warning that the country is unusually vulnerable to the spread of the disease,” the Financial Times reports.

“Public health officials and academics are concerned that a mix of high numbers of uninsured people, a lack of paid sick leave and a political class that has downplayed the threat could mean it spreads more quickly than in other countries.”

“The spread of coronavirus could be fuelled by patients reluctant to seek care because of the expense of the US healthcare system.”