[AttableBewNaw]

OK, what's with the panic mode?

141 confirmed deaths out of 27,737 cases??? One half of one percent chance of dying?

Now subtract those deaths caused by poor medical condition or care and see what we are at. (Example: US at 0.2%, Mexico at 1.85%, 9X the rate of the US).

I think it should be a concern, but showing that skeleton when there are probably more deaths from the common cold (ok, maybe not, but you know what I am saying) is getting really sensational.

[BUMbaronos]

I believe normal flu does have a higher death rate.

[joanasevilyboaz]

OK, what's with the panic mode?

I believe that the fear here is that the eeeevil spirit of Darwin will cause this to merge with the avian flu, turning it into a genocidal plague that wipes out the world, except for some survivors in Boulder and Vegas...

Seriously though, this flu could turn bad in the fall... right now this flu is pretty much the only game in town - so not a lot of chances to mix and match genes with other flu variants. Once fall comes around, and the other flu varieties start spreading, it could be a whole 'nother story - it could pick up more deadly traits from the avian flu - which is in circulation in egypt and south asia (but without an ability to jump person to person, thank God). That would be Bad, with a capitol B.

[mbaueee]

Thing is, viruses are not swingers. They do not interbreed that easily. One, to my knowledge at least, does not pick up the characteristic of another by contact, they can only evolve their own way to "greatness".

So this is a concern, and it should be treated seriously (and seriously treated) but having visages of death on all these stories when ened his pale horse is snorting at it is just fear mongering.

If it isn't politics its religion. If it isn't them, try disease.

If it isn't THAT, then try to find something, if ingested, that will kill you (like road gravel!!!!! WATCH OUT!!!!)

[SypeKifef]

Thing is, viruses are not swingers. They do not interbreed that easily.

Viruses don't breed at all. They are not considered to be life forms, sometimes described "at the edge of life."

They do frequently mutate, by two means: antigenic drift, and the more serious antigenic shift

How viruses work.

[huerta]

Thing is, viruses are not swingers. They do not interbreed that easily. One, to my knowledge at least, does not pick up the characteristic of another by contact, they can only evolve their own way to "greatness".

Alas, this is not the case. Influenza is a well known swinger... from the always informative wikipedia:

Antigenic shift is the process by which at least two different strains of a virus (or different viruses), especially influenza, combine to form a new subtype having a mixture of the surface antigens of the two original strains.

So the bottom line is that if this fun strain infects someone (or something) with Avian flu, there is a small but lethal chance of a super fun flu*, with characteristics of both.

*fun may vary by location. Your idea of fun may not match the flu virus's.

[cauddyVab]

Viruses don't breed at all. They are not considered to be life forms, sometimes described "at the edge of life."

I know.

[forotis]

They used to have their own soap opera!

[HoniSoniproca]

Yeah, but it was like a flea circus. You needed to special lens to watch the show. I think that Ronco guy used to sell them.

[Misespimb]

Just like one.

But no jumping...

Or activity......


Or fleas......





BTW: