From what we presently know about the H1N1 swine flu, it does not seem to be more deadly than the regular flu. This is not necessary cause for relief, however, as already approximately half of the states report deaths from the swine flu - and a large number of deaths annually occur from the normal flu. What is different about the H1N1 swine flu, however, is how teens and young adults seem to be more susceptible to severe cases and even death than infants or the elderly as is the case with the normal flu strains. In this way, the H1N1 swine flu is more like the 1918 world-wide influenza that killed approximately 100 million people than normal seasonal flu outbreaks. Also, like the 1918 influenza, the current H1N1 swine flu is spreading very rapidly during the summer months - i.e. during what is normally a period of drop off of the spread of normal flu. This could mean that the swine flu this fall is likely to be much more severe than what has occurred thus far.
