"West Nile Virus bad, where it's everywhere and anyone can get it, but good luck actually dying" seems to be the consensus, except that "everywhere" is actually accurate and not an exaggeration for mister swine flu. According to the newspaper today, health folks in my province (ontario) think about 35% of people will get it (this is totally assuming it actually becomes a pandemic) but the mortality rate is actually pretty small*. I dunno the number, but it's less than 10% for sure - there's been like 85 deaths in Mexico out of ~1800 cases or something? But you also have to account for the poverty and healthcare (or lack thereof), and the fact that, as it goes, they'll be developing more drugs and, after a few months, a vaccine against it.

*Er, small when put alongside the moderate to absolutely-horrible pandemics. With so many people getting sick, the number of deaths would be high anyway. |D;