A swine flu pandemic could cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars

EVEN a "mild'" swine flu epidemic could lead to the deaths of 1.4 million lives and cost the global economy more than $US330 billion ($463 billion) in lost output.
The figures, based on economic modelling of an influenza pandemic, also reveal that the most serious "ultra" scenario would cost 142.2 million lives around the world and reduce growth by $US4.4 trillion.
The dire scenarios come as Australia's top influenza expert says swine flu is probably already in Australia. In related business news, the swine flu alert has sent shares in anti-infective drug developer Biota soaring. Chief economist at the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, Roger Donnelly, said the 2006 paper, Global Macroeconomic Consequences of Pandemic Influenza, gave a good indication of how bad it could get if a pandemic did break out.