I can't take any comfort from your statistics
Based on the above data and extent of H5N1 carcasses/human contact ratio, how likely is H5N1 to mutate into a human communicable virus? Almost nil
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H5N1 has had at least 9 YEARS and BILLIONS, POSSIBLY TRILLIONS of individual 'viral cell to cell opportunities' to infect humans - and it hasn't..
Almost nil x trillions = a significant number.
It has happened before, and seems to happen on a somewhat regular basis... all 3 influenza pandemics of the 20th century were a result of avian influenza viruses mutating/combining into a human transmissable form. THe "H" designation indicates an avian influenza virus. 1918 was H1N1, 1957 was H2N2 and 1968 was H3N2.
How many of those contracted a human communicable version of H5N1? None.
That's because the human communicable form isn't here yet - sort of like the caveman in the superbowl ad getting fired because "Fedex doesn't exist yet!"
I hope you're right, and that H5N1 fizzles into a minor agricultural nuisance, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
As far as Bush goes, I'd love to bash him for hyping this, but I think it's just the opposite - he (and many others) have been downplaying or ignoring it and there could well be an unimaginable catastrophe as a result, tens or even hundres of thousands times worse than 9/11.
How can preparing the US for terrorist attacks be a bad thing... right?