Graphic: Timeline of global flu pandemics

SHOOT: There's still a lot of uncertainty about the data, and also the mortality rate of swine flu. I don't think doing a calculation based on infections and deaths worldwide makes sense when counting in many countries has stopped. It's also likely that governments and business will try to soften the news and statistics as far as possible. Here's why:

REUTERS: The fear factor on its own could reduce travel, tourism and leisure, but that demand-side decline could also be short-lived even if it is sharp, and followed by a sizeable rebound, as the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong in 2006 suggests.

SHOOT: That said, is it rational to encourage complacency?

clipped from blogs.reuters.com According to the WHO, laboratory-confirmed cases of new influenza A(H1N1) as officially reported to WHO as of 17:00 GMT 15 June 2009 are: 35,928 Cases, 163 Deaths …giving a Mortality Rate of 0.45%. If the the Lab-confirmed cases are indicative of the spread and impact of infections to date, then the mortality rate of “5% to 6%” as reported in the graphic above is overly excessive (unless, ACTUAL deaths are a lot higher than REPORTED deaths). - Posted by John M If the mortality rate was over 2% it would be a the most serious form of pandemic for which the WHO recommends draconian action such as closing national boarders. In publishing this incorrect information, you are saying that “flying pig” flu is already much, much worse than 1918 Spanish flu!!!!! As for a 98% mortality from seasonal flu for those over 65 what utter crap.