Flu Pandemics can be Sparked by Researchers

New Scientist said:

It's emerged that virulent H5N1 bird flu was sent out by accident from an Austrian lab last year and given to ferrets in the Czech Republic before anyone realised. As well as the risk of it escaping into the wild, the H5N1 got mixed with a human strain, which might have spawned a hybrid that could unleash a pandemic.

They only realised this because the ferrets died... This suggests that similar accidents may have occurred undetected.

Regarding the current Swine Flu outbreak, the fact that only Mexicans have died is bizarre, and the media has not provided any possible reasons. I figure it is one of the following:

• there is something different about Mexicans - perhaps a lack of a childhood inoculation, or even something that is administered to pigs outside of Mexico than flows on to humans that eat pork... giving them immunity
• two different strains -one that is mild and quite common in Mexico, and consequently those returning from Mexico - and one that has remained in Mexico (doesn't spread from human to human?) that is deadly
• a combination of the above scenarios, plus political spin, for some conspiracy-type reason

Either way, it doesn't smell like a real pandemic, and I predict it won't be mentioned 2 weeks from now.