Here's the important thing to remember when comparing the deaths by the flu (or anything else really), those numbers are based on the majority of people having been exposed to it. Yes, many more people have died from the flu, but that's because many more people have been exposed to the flu. The reason events are being cancelled and quarantines are happening is to slow the rate of exposure. As others have stated, the death rate of the flu is about .1%, we don't know the actual death rate of covid19 right now because it is still new, but estimates right now are 1-2%. If those numbers are even close to accurate that 10x-20x the number of people who could die from it. If the exposure spreads rapidly, that would be very, very bad.
We don't know, and that's the reason for caution. Yes, most of us will probably be fine and it will be like the flu. But no one really knows what the impact could be, so these steps are being taken to reduce risk. I'm not saying tpf should be cancelled, I'm still planning to go. But I'm not ignoring that there is a risk to people beyond myself. I'm worried about catching it there, coming to work the next day without having symptoms yet, and exposing many, many more people to it. That is a thing that can happen.
I don't understand people acting like this is nothing at all. I understand that it might be a minor thing, but we really just don't know yet and when so many lives could be at risk, why just ignore it?