[Rum Tum Tugger]

Are there any benchmarks by which the Mexican death rate from this flu can be judged?

How do we know that this isn't the normal rate of flu deaths in Mexico every April?

[NEWSHOUND]

Average death rates from flu are about 0.06 percent. Death rate from the Spanish Flu was between 2.5 and 5 per cent (depending on your source). So far the mortality rate in Mexico (if you trust the figures of 1600 reported cases and 149 reported deaths) is about 9.3 per cent or roughly double (or more) the death rate from the Spanish Flu which was the most deadly pandemic in history. Now whether or not the strain in the US is more benign or not remains to be seen. My concern would be that if Mexican nationals cross the border illegally to avoid the epidemic and are already infected, then they would probably avoid going to the doctor so their illegal status would not be detected. That would make it easier for it to spread as well as giving it more of a chance to mutate. Just my 2 cents.

[7mmMag@LeftCoast]

Considering the CDC states that there 36,000 seasonal flu deaths in the United States each year your point is well made.

#1-Is this just a propaganda test and there is nothing abnormal about these numbers?

#2-Is the media just knee jerking because of a slow news cycle?

#3-Does the WHO and CDC know something that is peculiar about this strain and they actually concerned that we could see significantly higher fatalities rates than normal?

#4-Is this an orchestrated news event to distract people from the BIG LEFT HAND thats reaching in our pockets?

To which 'conspiracy' does all our fellow freepers subscribe?

I'm hoping it is #2.