What Happens if We Hit .00006 Percent?
Reuters is reporting that the number of confirmed swine flu cases has reached 109. This will no doubt cause folks to run around screaming about pandemics and, somewhere, Stephen King is getting just the tiniest bit nervous.
I just want to help keep things in perspective. The Census Bureau estimates the population of the United States at 306,323,446. Swine flu had, to date, struck 109 people.
That means that one person out of every 2,789,539 in this country has the Disease with No Governmentally-Approved Pronounceable Name. If you like minuscule numbers, you could say that about .000036 percent of everyone in the country has been diagnosed with the flu.
UPDATE: Linked by Ed Driscoll, whose post I share with James Lileks. Good company there.
That’s it, folks. That’s what’s causing the bowel-watering panic you’ve been seeing on your televisions since Saturday. It makes you wonder what will keep television anchors from weeping openly in despair if we hit the grim milestone of 200 infected (.000066 percent).
Other Posts of Interest:
- If It’s Not Swine Flu, What Is It?
- Remember What Your Mom Taught You About the Flu and You’ll Be Fine
- Why Close Schools and Not the Border?
Category: Featured, Health Care Craziness
The Spanish Flu hit the .000066% milestone at one time too. This may turn out to be nothing or it may turn out to be the big one. I really don't understand what the point of your post is.
Read my post again, perhaps? The media has been on Red Alert mode since the weekend, yet we're only up to the dizzying total of 109 infected and, what, one dead? And that one was a child brought here from Mexico who was sick before he got here?
I'm saying the media pants-wetting is unwarranted. Again.
This strain of flu mutated enough to jump from animals to humans. That's why everyone is making such a big deal about it. Mix this novel strain with some human flu plasmids and you might get something really deadly. Or you may not. In either case, the media should cover this event.
Influenza viruses mutate all the time. That this one is isn't a huge surprise.
[...] What Happens if We Hit .00006 Percent? Just observe the easy-to-follow graphic at the link. Filed under: Muggeridge’s Law, The Substance [...]
Leftists need crises. Reporters need crises. Leftist reporters (redundant?) need, desire, would pray for if they believed in God, major crises.
I find the barely disguised glee with which they talk about the possibility of a major pandemic to be disgusting but they can't wait to get to report on a crises which they are sure will not actually effect them. Our government is currently looking for any reason to take more control of the health care sector so they will hype any perceived health crisis to help them in that goal.
We shall see if this flu becomes pandemic or not but the level of hysteria that is being pushed right now is self promotion at it's worst.
Interesting.. isn't this is about the same percentage that the President wanted stripped from His budget! Coincidence? (well, no.. it isn't the same number, but the point is there.. the number is not meaningful)
The Obama cultists at CNN have promoted Swine Flu as a method of showcasing our Leader's ability to solve problems. And what could be easier than solving a problem that doesn't exist?
For more on the cult of Obama worship, you might take a look at the 12-step recovery plan at:
http://firstconservative.com/blog/top-ten/12-step…