c’mon you people, ease up..
a “mild’” swine flu epidemic could lead to the deaths of 1.4 million lives and cost the global economy more than $US330 billion ($463 billion) in lost output.
> that’s about 0,02% of the world population (or 2 out of 10 000), for a lost output of 0,85% of the world gdp.
The figures, based on economic modelling of an influenza pandemic, also reveal that the most serious “ultra” scenario would cost 142.2 million lives around the world and reduce growth by $US4.4 trillion.
> that means a catastrophic scenario would be quite worse, with 2% of the world population and about 8% of the world gdp.
as a comparaison, the same article states that sars caused 774 deaths.
so don’t start panicking.
yet ;P