Swine Flu - a global pandemic?

The World Health Organisation has warned that this could be the next global pandemic to sweep the world. Although it might be a bit premature to compare it to the 1918 influenza outbreak which claimed more lives than the Great War (World War 1) in total 20-40 million people are estimated to died in it.

What made the 1918 outbreak so prolific was the speed with which it spread. People would be taken ill on the streets and die within hours. Whole families, communities and cities were wiped out in a matter of days!! Terrifying indeed. It lowered the life expectancy age by up to 10 years on average, and a whole generation was effectively wiped off the face of the earth.

Swine Flu has the potential to do as much harm, if not more. For the simple reason that we have become so globalised. No longer are we so remote from each other, thanks to the Internet and travel we are closer than ever. Therein lies the problem - our connectivity!

It is basically a genetic mutation of influenza with avian influenza together with two strains of swine influenza - basically a really nasty little cocktail that has the potential to wreck enormous damage on the population. What is really frightening is that it can be passed on so easily and rapidly, and as of yet, there is no cure!. Already there have been over 100 deaths already reported and countless confirmed cases.

The day when we could die of a cold is upon us!