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Is a pandemic going to happen soon? |
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Many
scientists believe it is only a matter of time until the next
influenza pandemic occurs. Influenza pandemics have occurred three
times in the past century — in 1918-19, 1957-58, and 1968-69.
However, the timing and severity of the next pandemic cannot be
predicted.
To have a
pandemic, a disease must pass easily from person to person with a
high rate of illness. Current fears about the highly pathogenic avian influenza
virus (H5N1) are based on an expectation that the virus is going to mutate
into a disease that can spread easily from person to person. That
has not happened yet.
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