It is winter not mutation that make flu worse

This news article supports my view that it is the weather that makes
flu more fatal. This should include Spanish Flu in 1918 and now Swine
Flu in 2008.

In UK, every winter cause 4000 fatalities so that the flu is called
Winter Flu when actually it is the same flu as in Summer. In Summer,
normal flu does not kill anyone, but this Swine Flu already attacks
young and middle aged people so severely that they had to be
hospitalised at the rate of 5 to 10%.

If the number of deaths in UK matches that in USA, it shows the even
with aggressive prescription of Tamilflu, it still causes
hospitalisation as severe as in USA. This invalidates my theory that
the US medical care is severely handicapped.

In Malaysia, we should expect the same incidence. Despite
administering Tamilflu to all suspected cases as in UK,
hospitalisation rate should be between 5-10 %. This is bad indeed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8087213.stm
Swine flu total 'may be double'
Swine flu test
Anti-viral drugs are being issued to treat those affected by the flu

The number of swine flu cases in the UK is probably double the
official figure, a leading bacteriologist has said.

The official total stands at well above 500 after more cases were
confirmed on Saturday, but Prof Hugh Pennington told BBC 5 Live the
real figure is higher.

"I think it would be very reasonable to say we've got at least twice
as many cases as we know about," he said.

Meanwhile, a woman with swine flu who gave birth prematurely is
critically ill and her baby is in intensive care.

The baby was born on Monday afternoon, at 29 weeks, in the Royal
Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

I think it would be very reasonable to say we've got at least twice as
many cases as we know about
Prof Hugh Pennington

On Sunday, a case of swine flu was confirmed at the British army's
biggest base, Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire.

The soldier has "mild symptoms" after coming into contact with another
infected person while away from the base.

Three of his close colleagues are also displaying symptoms, but it is
not confirmed that they have the virus.

Before this latest case, the number of people with swine flu in the UK
had increased to 541 after 19 more cases were confirmed in England, as
well as 13 new ones in Scotland and one further case in Northern
Ireland.

117 global deaths

Professor Pennington, a bacteriologist at Aberdeen University, says
that because swine flu is similar to seasonal flu, there will be many
more undeclared cases.

"All the experts think that the numbers we've got are a significant
underestimate.

"In the United States, they think for every case they know about,
every confirmed case, there are 20 other cases out there in the
community.

"I don't think we're anywhere near that, but I think it would be very
reasonable to say we've got at least twice as many cases as we know
about, and it may be more than that."

Worldwide there have been 19,315 confirmed swine flu cases in 66
countries, with 117 deaths - all in Mexico and the US.