The first human case of the virus was caught quickly and experts moved in immediately. They were able to make up tests for the H5N1 strain and distribute them around the world to make sure that the virus did not leave Hong Kong via an infected airline passenger. But there was more that could be done. Cox said someone should develop a vaccine against the H5 strain of flu in general and test it to see what doses might be useful. Vaccinating all vulnerable people, especially the elderly, against flu should also be a priority, she said.
Flu epidemics have a tremendous potential for killing people.
The 1918 pandemic caused 25 million cases in the United States alone and killed 500,000 people, many of them young, healthy adults. A 1968 pandemic of Hong Kong flu killed more than 46,000 people worldwide. Pandemics are epidemics that spread over a large area. A bad flu season, such as the one that just passed, could cause up to 200,000 cases and 40,000 deaths, Cox said.