The Threat to All of Humanity: An Update

My esteemed colleagues at CNN Health reported on Tuesday: "Since August, 13,434 cases of the flu have been reported by the 253 schools contributing data to the American College Health Association. Of the cases, there have been 21 hospitalizations." "The flu" meaning the dread threat to all humanity, the H1N1 virus. 21 hospitalizations out of 13,434 cases. That means that .0015631% of those infected have required hospitalization. These kids should be buying lottery tickets.

I am not going to be glib about the death rate. Both represent terrible losses to their families and friends. In 2004, 2,497 young people of college age took their own lives. Anecdote suggests that rate is not in decline. That puts two deaths in 13,434 cases into perspective for me.

It may be clear to even the casual reader that I have strong feelings about the hysteria that has surrounded the marketing of H1N1. I would refer anyone who would like to see how strong to my post of August 19, "H1N1: The Rant."

As a reminder to all, I was particularly offended by the assertion made by Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization: "After all, it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic." Not this pandemic, Dr. Chan. All humanity is under greater threat from a meteor the size of Australia hurtling into the Pacific.