We are hearing a lot about this outbreak because it is a new strain and the time of year (spring instead of winter) is unexpected. Nothing that I have seen indicates it is particularly deadly.
Let's not forget that early reports of SARS had the fatality rate at 43% in some stories. It turned out to be around 6.5%.
Those are good points as well...
The other thing is that the death rate seems to be MUCH higher in Mexico than in other places this has shown up. And, that particularly in the poor “slums” of the city the rate of infection (plus people who are at a disadvantage already due to nutritional deficiency, poverty stuff, etc...) would be higher than in other more “advanced” communities. Not sure if it was on this thread, but viruses do mutate and there is a chance that the higher fatality rate in Mexico could mean that this virus (if it’s been around longer than we thought) COULD be gaining “strength”. Again, not enough information to reach a solid conclusion on anything right now, IMHO.
I still think that in regards to ALL of these statistics it’s still “too soon” to tell.
BTW: Please don’t take my last post as trying to contradict you or anything. I’m doing my best using my limited, somewhat “fundamental” but increasing knowledge of these issues, and other various things I’ve been educated about in the past to examine this from all possible angles.
It’s like walking a fine line here, especially on an internet forum — most I see are like myself, gathering information, reporting things we’ve read, and trying to make sense of conflicting information and reports. It’s those on the forum who are completely dismissing this as “no threat at all” or a “manufactured crisis” that I worry about at this point — they are the same people who could unwittingly advance the spread of this disease by not even taking common sense precautions.
I know there will be people out there who until they are perhaps suffering from it themselves (or even on their death-bed) who will continue to insist this isn’t a problem, or is all a manufactured crisis — I guess I just worry/care too much about others or something but it’s been frustrating to try to get information and at the same time try to convince people that they should take it more seriously — even IF it turns out to be something LESS serious than we thought.
Hope this makes sense — it’s getting REALLY late now. :)