Re: Swine Flu Strain Is Severe as 1957 Pandemic Virus, Study Says
Between Canada and the US, we have just under 3000 cases with 3 deaths, and many still in hospital, so the CFR is at least .001, maybe higher if we see a spike in deaths from some of the hospitalized cases. This is similar to seasonal influenza, but is killing young people (under 50). I don't think the vast majority of people on the street understand this when they use the term 'mild'.
We can hope that any re-assorted strain will be quarantined better than we saw in Mexico, and even though Asian countries are being lambasted for their draconian efforts to quarantine this virus there, we can hope that this heightened effort will reduce opportunities for reassortment with H5N1 and that any transmission chains of H5N1 will be stopped as they have been to date. Let's not forget that H5N1 has not yet successfully reassorted with seasonal flu, and could still be the next pandemic after this one.
Between Canada and the US, we have just under 3000 cases with 3 deaths, and many still in hospital, so the CFR is at least .001, maybe higher if we see a spike in deaths from some of the hospitalized cases. This is similar to seasonal influenza, but is killing young people (under 50). I don't think the vast majority of people on the street understand this when they use the term 'mild'.
We can hope that any re-assorted strain will be quarantined better than we saw in Mexico, and even though Asian countries are being lambasted for their draconian efforts to quarantine this virus there, we can hope that this heightened effort will reduce opportunities for reassortment with H5N1 and that any transmission chains of H5N1 will be stopped as they have been to date. Let's not forget that H5N1 has not yet successfully reassorted with seasonal flu, and could still be the next pandemic after this one.
