superbug - could kill 80,000

[Phil]

I do hope nobody minds me bumping some of these older threads.
My research on the 1918/19 flu pandemic shows that America had in excess of 600,000 deaths and the UK over 400,000 deaths.
It is reasonable to therefor suggest that if a similar pandemic, particularly of H5N1 bird influenza should occur the death rate will be greater in both countries purely due to our larger populations and that with quicker travel it will spread faster. If either Sars or Ebola should break out and become of pandemic proportions you will see similar high death rates.
Most Scientists researching avian flu believe its not a matter of IF but When it happens.
With that flu pandemic most people died not from the flu, but the pneumonia that followed quickly behind the flu.
The flu had compromised the immune system of each patient, so that it was unable to fight off the pneumonia.