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It does have the potential to be as deadly a pandemic as the 1918 flu.
The hemagglutinin gene of this virus is completely novel, and since that is the antigenic site that the human immune system responds to, there has not been any immunity built to it. This particular genetic combination of swine influenza virus segments has not been recognized previously among swine or human isolates. It contains gene segments from North American swine, bird and human flue strains as well as one gene segment from Eurasian swine.
Also, is the fact that this virus is causing deaths not among the elderly and young, who are the typical victims of the flu, but causes deaths among the young and healthy by inciting a "cytokine storm."
However, here in America we both can afford and have a stockpile of Tamiflu and Relenza, which will probably be effective.
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