The swine is in the news these days thanks to the swine flu which is spreading fast globally across various countries. The Swine flu getting attention in developed countries is understandable. Not many killer diseases or killing living conditions stalk people there. But it getting attention in developing nations and even under developed countries is really absurd.

More people die in these countries in fatal road accidents every day than the few who are succumbing to the illness. WHO has recently released its comprehensive report on global road safety and it does not come as surprise that India is leading with around 105,725 Indians dying per year on the roads here.

WHO keeps releasing figures on malnutrition deaths, deaths due to hunger (nearly 15 children are dying per min worldwide), AIDs, cancer etc. Add to it the deaths due to increasing crimes, suicides, wars and even silent genocides. Unfortunately none of them gets such media attention like the swine flu has been getting. In fact with India is reeling under drought conditions and countless poor are going to suffer and die in large parts of rural India.

In spite of it all swine flu will continue to hog the limelight maybe for the sheer reason that its stalking large section urban middle class and it is essential for media to gain their TRPs and maybe government, political parties and business establishments too want to divert the attention of educated urban masses from more pressing issues such as recession, lay-offs, inflation etc. Yeah, the mask definitely works!