Why Pandemic Flu is Scarier Than Ebola

[Burhead]

Exclusive: Controversial US scientist creates deadly new flu strain for pandemic research - Science - News - The Independent

Some members of the audience, however, were shocked and astonished at his latest and most audacious work on flu viruses, which follow on from his attempts to re-create the 1918 flu virus and an earlier project to increase the transmissibility of a highly lethal strain of bird flu.

“He took the 2009 pandemic flu virus and selected out strains that were not neutralised by human antibodies. He repeated this several times until he got a real humdinger of a virus,” said one scientist who was present at Professor Kawaoka’s talk.

“He left no doubt in my mind that he had achieved it. He used a flu virus that is known to infect humans and then manipulated it in such a way that it would effectively leave the global population defenceless if it ever escaped from his laboratory,” he said.

“He’s basically got a known pandemic strain that is now resistant to vaccination. Everything he did before was dangerous but this is even madder. This is the virus,” he added.

 

[davethevol]

It still isn't scarier now matter how it is spun, and that is due to the martality rate.

 

[LouderVol]

why? don't these people watch movies? it starts as a test to be prepared for future problems then it gets out and the world's problems not so slowly disappear.

 

[Velo Vol]

The article's claims seem rather thinly sourced. It's also several months old.

No question an influenza pandemic would be much worse than Ebola, but I doubt this is how one gets started.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

It still isn't scarier now matter how it is spun, and that is due to the martality rate.

You must not know about the Spanish flu. Do some research. Ebola is only scarier because most of the general public doesn't understand it.

The Spanish Flu infected almost 500 million people and killed possibly more than 100 million. Ebola is child's play.

 

[appyvol]

You must not know about the Spanish flu. Do some research. Ebola is only scarier because most of the general public doesn't understand it.

The Spanish Flu infected almost 500 million people and killed possibly more than 100 million. Ebola is child's play.

Would you rather have Spanish Flu or Ebola? Honest question.

 

[FLVOL_79]

Glad I eat my veggies and avoid poor people.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Would you rather have Spanish Flu or Ebola? Honest question.

Totally missed the point.

 

[appyvol]

Totally missed the point.

Is it more dangerous to the masses? Probably. Is it scarier to me? Nah.

 

[PKT_VOL]

Any disease that is airborne (or highly contagious in other ways) has the potential to be more dangerous than ones that are not.

Easier infection = more potential danger

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Would you rather have Spanish Flu or Ebola? Honest question.

Neither. Both are scary. Both produce terrible symptoms. My point is the Spanish Flu was much, much more contagious and spread like wildfire. Ebola is nowhere near that contagious.

The only reason people get scared by Ebola is because of what it does to the people it kills.

 

[VOLatile]

Neither. Both are scary. Both produce terrible symptoms. My point is the Spanish Flu was much, much more contagious and spread like wildfire. Ebola is nowhere near that contagious.

The only reason people get scared by Ebola is because of what it does to the people it kills.

Liquification of internal organs isn't that scary... /s