Question #1: Why is the mortality rate so high in Mexico?
Ans: There are many theories but no clear answers (yet), but the good news is that it appears that the death rate is slowing and the total cases are slowing as well in Mexico.
I would rank the theories in their most likely order:
1. not enough data and we will find that there were/are a lot more cases so the mortality rate is falsely elevated
2. virus changed minutely/just enough to make itself less lethal but more contagious
3. differences in population–worse health, bad air polution, delay in going to seek medical attention, genetic differences, more herd immunity in U.S.–many of us might think: “Mexico is so poor and their health system must be worse than ours.” One of my partners assurred me that Mexico Cities healthcare system is very clean and modern so that theory is probably not accurate.
4. Some other infection–some speculate that there is another supra-infection or co-infection that is making the death rate higher in Mexico.
Question #2: Are the deaths highest in the young–25-45 age range in Mexico?
Ans: Again, no data has been available, but some rumors and speculations that that is the case. If that is true, experts worry that may mean we are dealing with a flu strain like the 1918 strain which was very bad.
Some more links:
Global Map
Daily Update for Emergency Physicians
Incidental notes:
I worked 10 hours last night in the Emergency Department, and we were testing for the flu on EVERYBODY that had any symptoms at all suggestive of the flu–all were negative. I would think that we would start to see cases if this thing is going to spread like most epidemics do…More to follow….
Also one of my partners is interviewing today a researcher who has created a vaccine (tested only on animals but seems to work) that is non-typable. This means that this vaccine would work on ANY strain of the flu…WOW…for more details look for his interview on his website.