“’m having trouble understanding all the panic over a couple of isolated cases of flu. “
I think the reason they are so worried is because the flu is very contagious. It is easily transmitted, even without close contact. It isn’t a big deal when the flu isn’t severe. (It is still dangerous to those with compromised immune systems, or the elderly) This type of flu seems to be quite dangerous, and when combined with the ease of transmission, it could cause millions of deaths. The flu of 1918 caused as many as 20 million.
I doubt this flu could be as dangerous as the flu of 1918, because we have better awareness of how to fight flu epidemics. We also have antivirals which are effective. Countries like Mexico, with it combination of poverty and lack of medical care, could face disastrous results.
I haven’t seen anything yet that is outside the scope of the normal influenza outbreaks. We had what I would call an average year here this year, had a couple of really sick people with secondary pneumonia after a course of the flu. Probably a slightly worse than average year for pneumonia not associated with the flu, at least seems worse than last year.
All flu is fairly contagious, although the influenza vaccine from last fall will obviously not protect against this strain. But last year the flu vac missed and was only about 20% effective, and we did not see a large pandemic. I guess I haven’t seen anything that raises red flags for me yet, and I wonder what all the hysteria is about. I guess we will know either way over the next 2-4 weeks.