[Restorer]

So why all the fuss over a strain of pneumonia?

Because it is apparently highly contagious and has a 6-10% mortality rate?

The author apparently thinks that similar symptoms mean it can't be a very different disease. Not true. It's astonishing how many diseases are listed as having flu-like symptoms. Among others, anthrax.

[Howlin]

So why all the fuss over a strain of pneumonia?

Could it be because on Wednesday the death rate was 1 in 10 and on Thursday it was 1 in 7?

[P-Marlowe]

ALL pneumonias have about a 10% mortaility rate. This one is no different. I would be willing to bet that the risk of contracting penumonia due to this particular virus might be about the same or perhaps a little higher (due to the fact that it is a new strain of FLU) than other Hong Kong variety flus but once pneumonia sets in, there is going to be a 10% mortality rate whether the pneumonia is caused by SARS or the Standard Hong Kong Flu (which usually kills a lot more people every year than this SARS has managed to kill).

So what makes this particular strain of flu any different than prior strains? PUBLICITY and PANIC..