Bird Flu in Perspective

While there is a potential risk that the current H5N1 bird flu could become pandemic, the reality is that according to the latest report by the World Health Organization, only 88 people have died from this illness since 203. In comparison, each year 35,000-50,000 people are killed by snake bites in India. And lighting kills 73 people each year in the United States alone. With millions shelled out to lottery winners in the U.S. each week, you have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of contracting avian influenza. So, while pandemic flu is a threat worth watching and preparing for, automobiles are currently a much bigger threat than avian influenza (killing 42,443 people in the US in 2001).