3 ms·
Looking at the history of disease, that's pretty unlikely. Traditionally, the optimal virus is going to get more contagious, but far less deadly; a disease that
by esyir 5y ago
Looking at the history of disease, that's pretty unlikely. Traditionally, the optimal virus is going to get more contagious, but far less deadly; a disease that kills its host rapidly generally burns itself out.
Now, the consequences of getting to that more optimal virus I'm a lot more hazy about.
- vkou 5y ago> Traditionally, the optimal virus is going to get more contagious, but far less deadly; a disease that kills its host rapidly generally burns itself out The Spanish flu mutated into a more deadly variant, half-way through that pandemic. It went on to kill more people than World War I.
- tehjoker 5y agoDeadliness is only selected against once it impedes transmission. A virus that kills after transmitting (because you spread it while asymptomaticly) will only burn out once a ton of people die inhibiting transmission.