At some point you're going to start using a rate of something. And it is normally per 100,000 people.
Yes, once it has reached an appropriate limit (such as a considerable percentage of population), up until then it makes more sense to discuss it in absolute terms.
I'd probably start expressing it in terms of Wuhan pop per 100k and I would want to start comparing age profiles and the rates of death per age bracket.
Yes, once it has reached an appropriate limit (such as a considerable percentage of population), up until then it makes more sense to discuss it in absolute terms.