Medical experts cast doubt on the actual danger of swine flu

[azmouse]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/05/02/20090502flu0502.html


More than a month into the swine-flu outbreak that has now affected 15 countries, medical experts are wondering aloud whether the contagious disease will ever become the pandemic that everyone fears.


In the aftermath of the anthrax attacks in 2001 and the more recent avian-flu scares, Boulton said the nation's public-health and security infrastructure "might be primed a bit for overresponse" to potential health threats.

For experts to compare the current outbreak to the 1918 pandemic is "pretty irresponsible" at this stage, Boulton said.

Boulton said it's "highly improbable" that the U.S. swine-flu death toll will even approach the estimated 36,000 Americans who die each year of seasonal flu.