[DJtex]

The fatality rate is so scary: 6 of 7 dead. I read somewhere that the virus will have to get a bit milder to be really dangerous. If you kill 80-100% on contact, the flu will be limited to pockets of disease--like Ebola. Ebola kills so efficiently that it doesn't spread very effectively.

The Spanish Flu killed 20-30% of those who contracted it. Also, it killed younger people more than older. The young people's strong immune system went totally overboard and killed them in one day a lot of the time.

[Gritty]

The case fatality rate for the Indonesian strain stands at 88%, according to WHO. Of course, that is a small sample. However, this Indonesian strain seems to be a particularly virulent strain. Many of those who died had intensive hospital care and still didn't make it.

This is not a good sign. Hopefully, the antivirals the US is immediately sending from our stockpile will contain it and it will burn out.

[little jeremiah]

All the figures I've read of the mortality rate of the 1918 flu are much lower, around 5%. Regular garden variety flu is much less than that, and kills about 36,000 people in the US every year. A flu which is transmitted easily and kills even 5% will kill a tremendous number of people. Small pox is around 30%.

Gotta read that book "The Great Flu" or whatever it's called. If anyone knows the actual title can you ping me?

[Old Professer]

"The fatality rate is so scary: 6 of 7 dead. I read somewhere that the virus will have to get a bit milder to be really dangerous. If you kill 80-100% on contact, the flu will be limited to pockets of disease--like Ebola. Ebola kills so efficiently that it doesn't spread very effectively."

Funny how the authorities ignore this fact; it is like a back fire versus a prairie fire.

This particular crisis is driven by its popularity rather than its propensity.