April 23, 2013
20% Mortality?
China is confirming that the H7N9 strain of Bird Flu has jumped to people. They are reporting 108 cases of which 22 have been fatalities. A 20% mortality rate is alarming as it equals or exceeds the the lethality of the 1918 pandemic.
There is more on this here.
The official line in China is that there is no direct evidence of Human-Human transmission. However, the CDC website indicates that a number of the patients have had no contact with poultry or livestock. The Wikipedia page says that this is true for over 50% of patients, but provides no sourcing for that figure.
Note that even if it is a P2P bug the 20% mortality figure may be inflated if, for instance, the only people diagnosed thus far are those who were already exceptionally ill.
Bird flu is always worrying but we get a scare like this every year or so and it should be remembered that the awful flu we got this winter hit with no warning. So just take this as a reminder that things can go pear shaped at any time and it's good to have ones disaster season supplies in order.
It's even better not to dispair.
So cheer up.
With that in mind, here is some cheer brought to you by the color pink.
There is more on this here.
The official line in China is that there is no direct evidence of Human-Human transmission. However, the CDC website indicates that a number of the patients have had no contact with poultry or livestock. The Wikipedia page says that this is true for over 50% of patients, but provides no sourcing for that figure.
Note that even if it is a P2P bug the 20% mortality figure may be inflated if, for instance, the only people diagnosed thus far are those who were already exceptionally ill.
Bird flu is always worrying but we get a scare like this every year or so and it should be remembered that the awful flu we got this winter hit with no warning. So just take this as a reminder that things can go pear shaped at any time and it's good to have ones disaster season supplies in order.
It's even better not to dispair.
So cheer up.
With that in mind, here is some cheer brought to you by the color pink.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
06:18 PM
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