Evolution science is being used to combat swine flu

Apr 30, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
Where did the new swine flu virus come from? Science says it evolved from previous strains of a mix of human, bird and pig viruses.
Where do the proponents of Intelligent Design, those who believe a God conjures up living organisms, think the H1N1 virus came from?

Rear Adm. Anne Schuchat, of the US Centers for Disease Control, says this strain is particularly worrisome because “it’s a virus that hasn’t been around before.”
Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Interim Assistant Director-general for Health, security and environment says, “It’s quite possible for this virus to evolve.
When viruses evolve, clearly they can become more dangerous to people.”

It is an understanding of the science behind the Theory of Evolution which allows scientists to figure out how the H1N1 virus is made up and it is evolution science that is now being used to combat the outbreak.
Time magazine reports that viruses can sometimes shift its genetic structure so much that our immune systems offer no protection whatsoever. This usually happens when a flu virus found in animals – like the avian flu still circulating in Asia – swaps genes with other viruses in a process called re-assortment, and then jumps to human beings.

A flu pandemic occurs when a new flu virus evolves for which humans have little or no immunity and then spreads easily from person to person around the world.
The WHO says the outbreak of H1N1 is evolving rapidly and moving closer to becoming a full-scale pandemic.
The agency is closer to raising its pandemic alert to phase 5, indicating widespread human-to-human transmission.
That’s just one step below level 6, a full-fledged pandemic. Should scientists work to prevent its spread or should we just rely on preachers to pray to their Intelligent Designer for a cure?
Lutchman Gossai.

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