Pestilence

My Way News - Bird flu spikes in China ahead of Lunar New Year:
My Way News reports: "China has reported more than 50 H7N9 infections in 2014 after the strain jumped from birds to people for the first time last year. The virus remains hard to catch and most cases have been linked to contact with poultry, but scientists worry that could change if it mutates into a form that allows it to spread easily among people. [...] Both bird flus cause high fever and respiratory problems, including pneumonia and shortness of breath. Scientists have repeatedly warned that the viruses cannot be ignored because of their potential to possibly spark a global pandemic."

Comment: Mutation is the real worry because not only can it happen quickly, but it can produce a strain for which humans have no immunity and no immediate defense. It takes time for the medical community to analyze a new virus and produce a vaccine and in that span of time, many could die.