Swine Flu Panic

2009 Sure has been a year of doom and gloom news headlines.

The global economic crisis has affected us all and companies around the world have suffered.  But the people who make Dettol must be laughing all the way to the bank with the other big news of 2009 - Swine Flu.

Swine Flu seems to have touched all of our lives, and even I have indulged in a “I think I have a mild case of the Swine Flu” status update on Facebook.

I don’t pretend to understand what causes it, I don’t understand symptoms.  All I understand is that it has brought panic and has us all reaching for the antibacterial hand gel.  All of a sudden it’s an epidemic. 

I found it interesting that the news is reporting every death from Swine Flu like it is a front page story. Its not. People have been dying of terrible diseases since the dawn of time. For Example..

• Total Annual Deaths Worldwide from Regular Flu – 250,000-500,000
• AIDS – Killed 25 Million people since 1981
• Malaria – Kills about 2 Million people every year
• Deaths from Childbirth every year – over 500,000
• Spanish Flu – Killed 50-100 Million people in 2 years
• The Black Death – Killed 75 Million people
• Smallpox – Killed over 300 Million people in the 20th Century Alone

Deaths from Swine Flu – Less than 1,500.

The loss of any human life is a tragedy, especially from a treatable disease, and I am by no means trying to cheapen the loss that the families of the Swine Flu victims must be feeling.   However, as in the case of The Black Death, the strong survived, the weak perished.  Survival of the Fittest. It’s just how life is meant to work. 

So perhaps Swine Flu should get over itself, so we can have some new news on the news.

(stats are from World Health Organisation website and other reputable news websites)