Well, duh. Here’s the CDC report on deaths (only children deaths are listed, not adults) for flu outbreaks during the past few years. Why should this flu be any different. People die from flu, swine or otherwise.
During the 2003-04 season, 153 flu-associated deaths in children were reported to CDC. (This data was collected by CDC.)
During the 2004-05 season, 47 deaths in children were reported to CDC. (This is the first year that influenza mortality in children became a nationally reportable condition.)
During the 2005-06 season, 46 deaths in children were reported to CDC.
During the 2006-07 season, 76 deaths in children were reported to CDC.
As of June 14, 2008, 83 deaths in children occurring during the 2007-08 season have been reported to CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/season.htm
“Why should this flu be any different. People die from flu, swine or otherwise.”
[Polarik, I know you understand the genetic stuff I’m describing much better than I. Please correct me if I’ve made a mistake here]
Honestly, because this isn’t actually SWINE flu, and the rate of death among those in Mexico is higher than a typical flu (and that was before the earthquake). [”Old Fashioned” Swine flu is naturally occurring and those who raise pigs are well aware of it. You catch it from infected animals and it CAN’T be tranferred from an infected human to another human — ONLY through contact with the animal itself. And, AFAIK it’s no more dangerous than catching “human flu”.]
This NEW VIRUS is a genetic combination of 4/5 different “flu” virus strains...
1. North American Swine Flu (animal to human transmission)
2. European Swine Flu (animal to human transmission)
3. Asian Swine Flu (animal to human transmission)
4. North American AVIAN flu (animal to animal transmission - among BIRDS only, AFAIK)
5. Human Influenza strain “A” (Human to Human transmission)
Now you get into the HOW questions — HOW did this virus mutate and combine at the genetic level, and how did these geographically located strains all combine in one place, AND get genetically combined with a strain of AVIAN flu, AND also combine with HUMAN influenza to make a new strain capable of Human to human transmission??? AND, how did it mutate and combine so quickly?
As for death rate — one statistic I saw regarding Mexico was an 8.5% death rate (Spanish Flu was 2.5%). Why that rate is SO high in Mexico when it doesn’t appear to be that high OUTSIDE Mexico could be due to MANY different factors (sanitation, population density, lower quality medical care, poverty, etc... etc...).
Another factor — there are reports that the first cases were actually in MARCH, that authorities KNEW this was a new virus approx. April 4th, and we didn’t hear a peep till April 24th.
While I am not suggesting panic, I also don’t think it’s something anyone should dismiss outright as “no big deal”.
[There is a chance that this was definitely a genetically ENGINEERED virus or BIOLOGICAL WEAPON. Remember also, if this is a terrorist action — actual death isn’t always as important to them as the creation of Fear, and Panic.]