Looking at what is happening around the world it is clear that while the H1N1 flu is probably not a killer pandemic like the Spanish flu was in 1918, it is indeed far more of a killer than the normal seasonal flu we are sort of used to.
Another difference is the age distribution of the deaths. Babies and the elderly always die at a much higher rate - in all illnesses. Whether it is flu or any of the other routine medical problems which doctors can’t do much about, babies and old folks die at a much higher rate than the rest of the population.
What is odd about the H1N1 strain of flu is that it also has a significantly higher death rate among young adults aged 25 - 34.
In America we have perfected the art of cutting costs and maximizing short term profits. Since our health care system is based upon maximizing greed and profits rather than achieving the finest patient care, there is little surge capacity in any of our hospitals. This trend towards maximizing profit has placed our country in a dangerous situation where America has far fewer doctors or hospital beds per thousand patients than the other advanced Western Democracies. This does not bode well if the H1N1 flu does indeed live up to what the CDC and other reliable experts are predicting.
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