Objective: According to the WHO novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation report 16, as at 5 th February 2020, there was a total of 24363 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases in China. That consisted of the world 491. The specific objective of this study was to estimate, using human capital approach, the fiscal value of human lives lost due to 2019-nCoV in China as at 5 th February 2020.
Results: The deaths from 2019-nCoV had a discounted (at 3%) total fiscal value of Int$174,895,675. Out of which, 63.2% was borne by people aged 25-49 years, 27.8% by people aged 50-64 years, and 9.0% by people aged 65 years and above. Average fiscal value per death was Int$ 356,203. Re-estimation of the economic model alternately with 5% and 10 discount rates led to a reduction in the expected total fiscal value by 21.3% and 50.4%, respectively. Furthermore, re-estimation of the economic model using the Japanese female life expectancy of 87.1 years (highest in the world), instead of the national life expectancy of 76.4 years, increased the total fiscal value by Int$ 43,415,455 (24.8%).