"How many people died of this" is only the tiniest factor to consider when trying to evaluate how dangerous a problem is. Consider the death of half a dozen unr

"How many people died of this" is only the tiniest factor to consider when trying to evaluate how dangerous a problem is. Consider the death of half a dozen unrelated people in city A, and the deaths of half a dozen separately unrelated people in city B. Who cares, right? That many people die every three seconds or something. Now add the information that the 6 people in city A died of smallpox. The 6 people in city B were all pedestrians hit by cars. Should both cities react the same way?