MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

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October 31, 2009

THE PEOPLE SPEAK – This is no pandemic; it’s a regular season

A little historical perspective on the swine flu pseudo-crisis:

The only pandemic I see is the hysteria in the wretchedly boring lives of those who look for anything to ramp up the excitement of their dingy existence, the media performing its usual job of sensationalism, and drama king and queen politicians who never let a crisis go to waste solving a pseudo-emergency.

Remember the Y2K non-event?

On Oct. 10, 1918, the Phoenix reported five deaths from the flu on Oct. 9. Five more occurred on Oct. 10. On Oct. 13, notice that Jefferson School was being converted to a hospital because the city hospital was overflowing with flu patients. Also on Oct. 13, notice that five more flu deaths had occurred on Oct. 12.

On Oct. 14, six more deaths from flu, On Oct. 15, three deaths, Oct. 16 six deaths, Oct. 17 six more flu deaths. The highest mortality was reached on Oct. 18, when 13 flu deaths were reported. Muskogee was a town of roughly 20,000 at the time.

How many people have died this year from swine flu in Oklahoma with a population of more than 3 million? Less than 20.

An Associated Press release in the Oct. 16, 1918, Phoenix had statistics from the War Department: 716 deaths had occurred among military personnel from flu or complications on Oct. 14; 889 occurred on Oct. 15.

The flu epidemic, a real epidemic, began to wane. Deaths dropped to one or two a day, but jumped to five on Oct. 26.

When more than 50 people die of the same disease in one month in a town of about 20,000, you have a dangerous pandemic. When 15 people die of the same disease in 10 months in a state of more than 3 million, you have a standard flu season. You stand a far greater chance of being murdered or killed in an auto accident.

Jack Fortner

Muskogee

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