Come Flu With Me

A brand new strain of swine flu has been identified in Mexico. The previously unknown virus is a mix of previous strains that had individually infected pigs, birds, and humans. What makes this new variation so dangerous is that--unlike the SARS virus from a few years ago--it is apparently spreading easily from human to human. Out of about 1,000 known victims, 68 have died. That number makes it a particularly dangerous flu. A state of emergency has all but shut down Mexico City, with all sorts of public gatherings being canceled. The few people that have ventured outdoors have resorted to wearing surgical masks.

Like most Mexicans, the new bug is paying no mind to international borders. Several cases of swine flu been identified in the U.S. though none have proven fatal.... So far. As a precaution, schools where the virus has surfaced have been closed down in an effort to halt its spread. A cluster of cases has even been identified in New Zealand. It was among a group of students that had recently returned from a trip to Mexico.

Meanwhile, alarmed that another nation has come up with a new type of flu that is inducing worldwide panic, China has filed a lawsuit claiming patent infringement.