Avian Flu Still Just from the Birds

The Avian Flu Virus scare continues...

Are you enjoying all the hype?

Did you know...

144 humans have contracted Avian Flu, only by contact with live birds with the virus.
Out of the 144, 72 have died from the Avian Flu. (Stats as of 12/05 plus two in Turkey)

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) claims that more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to complications of the flu and 36,000 die each year from the flu.

Do these numbers for flu deaths seem high to you? It did for a Harvard student who is making some waves. The complication that causes so many flu deaths? Pneumonia. In 2001, under 3% of the deaths in the US were attributed to flu/pneumonia, and as with most deaths, the vast majority were 85 years or older. On the same CDC report, they break down those stats for flu and pneumonia, and you know what? There were 257 flu deaths in 2001, compared to 61,777 pneumonia deaths. Thus, only .01% of all deaths in 2001 were directly attributed to influenza (the flu). As a perspective, more people died (428) due to disease of the appendix.

Lots of numbers there. One number is certain, 100% of humans alive today will die some time in the future.

So, what is there to worry about?