We are seeing something almost as destructive as a limited terrorist attack in terms of producing fear, panic, overreaction and economic injury. Media misinformation and paniced responses from some world governments (like Egypt deciding to cull every pig, some 400,000 of them) has produced a sensationalized reaction from what at the end of the day will very likely be a very mild flu virus spreading around the world (http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-swine-reality30-2009apr30,0,3606923.story) but monitored like it was the bubonic plague. Of course these scientists could be wrong and it is the fear of being wrong that has set the world in motion.
