The media has been rightly criticized for working themselves up into a frenzy over how we were all going to die from Swine Flu.  There was massive speculation over where the disease would pop up next and how many would be infected.  This frenzy over a possible pandemic brought out the worst in some people.  Right-wing radio went crazy blaming Mexican Immigrants for how the US was surely to get overrun by this dreaded disease. 

Apparently it is not only the media that enjoys wild speculation over what happens next in the Swine Flu drama.  The World Health Organization (WHO) is now in the act as well.  That's right, a serious organization whose mission is to responsibly manage the world's health problems is now fanning the fire, is now participating in the numbers guessing game:

However, statements Thursday from a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official seem to do the panic-prone and hypochondriacs out there no favors, predicting that if the virus becomes a pandemic, it could infect a third of the world's population -- around 2 billion people. According to Earth Times, WHO's health security chief Keiji Fukuda predicts that, "looking at past pandemics, a third of the world's population could be infected."

2 BILLION people could be infected...and I could win Power Ball.  This is stupid.  What is the possible benefit of this woman to come and tell us 1/3 of the people on Earth COULD get infected.  I do not mean to diminish the the pain this disease has cost the hundreds of families who have lost someone.  However, for the WHO to get caught up in the Swine Flu panic time mentally is quite regrettable.  This coupled with the media's handling of SARS and Avion Flu don't be surprised to have this story fade away, only to be replaced by the next "we are all going to die" story.