Reply #14: Let's not forget that the Spanish Flu pandemic, that killed between

[RaleighNCDUer]

20 and 40 million world wide (tho less than 200,000 in the US, I believe) had a mortality rate of only 2%. So far, the avian flu mortality rate (before mutating to person-to-person transmission) is at something like 70%. Presumably, as it mutates for easy transmission the mortality rate will drop, but if it drops to even 10% it will shut down entire nations, gas & food costs will skyrocket, markets will collapse, hospitals will be overwhelmed as tens of millions will vie for limited medical help.

It could concievably rival the Black Death of the 14th century.