How does H1N1 (swine flu) compare to seasonal flu in terms of its severity and infection rates?
Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Each year, about 36,000 people in the U.S. die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes. Of those hospitalized, 20,000 are children younger than 5 years old. Over 90 percent of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalization occur in people older than 65.