Reuters on Flu Pandemic

Reuters has picked up the looming flu pandemic story. They cite a VERY conservative 1% case fatality ratio and say there is no evidence for H5N1 mating and mutating, which is simply wrong.

Commentary at

www.recombinomics.com...

WHO: Bird Flu Likely Source of Next Pandemic
www.reuters.co.uk...
Thu 25 November, 2004 05:55

By Karishma Vyas
BANGKOK (Reuters) - The bird flu virus that rampaged across much of Asia this year is the most likely cause of the next human flu pandemic, which could hit up to 30 percent of the world's people, a top international expert said Thursday.
There was no question about whether another influenza pandemic would sweep through the world's more than six billion people, only a question of when, Dr Klaus Stohr told a news conference.

"There are estimates that would put the number of deaths in the range between two and seven million and the number of people affected will go beyond the billions as 25 to 30 per cent will fall ill," he said ............