Atchoo !!
"flu" h1n1 or h5n1 need to keep there host mobile in order to spread.It is not in the best interest for the virus if it kills it's host.
This from the New York Times
Swine flu versus avian flu
The avian flu, A(H5N1), is found among birds and humans and is highly lethal but not very transmissible. Scientists believe this new flu is more transmissible but less lethal.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...u-graphic.html
Here is an explanation from The Pig Site
Bird Flu in Pigs
UK - Some scientists believe the H5N1 virus may be replicating into weaker variations. One of the reasons they take this view is that the virus appears to have adapted to operate in pig populations.
Pigs have cells in their trachea that allow for both avian and human flu infections. If pigs carry both human and avian strains at a given time replication detail can be traded among the flu species and within the pig host new combinations could arise.
So although the pig variety may be less virulent than its avian-oriented relatives, virologists believe transference to the pig population may be a precursor to human infection.
When H5N1 viruses were isolated from pigs in Indonesia and were tested on mice the pig-oriented variation was found to be much less devastating to the exposed mice than the avian H5N1 species.
In growing in pigs, the virus may have become less harmful to mammals in general but it might also mean the virus is one step closer to turning into a human pandemic strain.
However pig infections are thought to happen only occasionally and it is not clear at present whether the H5N1 virus has truly adapted to pigs.
http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/...rd-flu-in-pigs
Now before i go to bed, many of the deaths reported will be due to existing
health problems which make the individual open to infection.
Goodnight
atchoo !