It's propaganda. A visual cue to manipulate the people that the virus is "everywhere" and should be feared. Can you imagine if we all went about our lives as if things were normal? That viruses happen, people get sick (H1N1) and life still goes on?

They wouldn't be able to manipulate, steal votes, sway elections, wreck the economy, and cause civil unrest if everyone took a step back and asked "how many people do I know that have gotten severely ill from this virus?" Because the answer is- not many if any at all.