LOS ANGELES - You’d think from all the media hysteria that this outbreak of swine flu signalled the end of the world.

Music for swine flu season.

Well, the World Health Organization presents some numbers that should reassure the panicky.

According to Vivienne Allan, from WHO’s patient safety program, there have been only 7 swine flu deaths — all in Mexico — and not the over 150 deaths that has been reported. In fact, there have only been 79 confirmed cases worldwide.

To put things in perspective, the Centers for Disease Control notes that in the United States, in an average year during the 1990s, about 36,000 people died from flu-related causes.

The swine flu isn’t even coming close to approaching those numbers.

So relax. Have a pork chop for dinner tonight. Be kind to a Mexican. Rock out to Blodwyn Pig.

For more, go here.

JERUSALEM - As the world becomes increasingly jittery over the spread of the swine flu, one Israeli health official is more concerned over the name of the new strain of influenza.

"Swine flu? I don't have to show you any stinkin' swine flu!"

Because of Jewish and Muslim sensitivity to the pig and pork products, Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman told a news conference that the flu should be renamed “Mexican” influenza.

Apparently, Mexicans are less offensive to Jewish and Muslim sensibilities than are pigs, which they consider to be “unclean.”

Obviously, Mr. Litzman has never sampled the tap water in Mexico.

For more, visit here.