Experts say the rates of death and serious illness from H1N1 are far  from the levels initially predicted by the pandemic alert. In early  November 2009, Harvard University researchers released their findings which showed H1N1 related deaths have so far been the same or lower compared to regular flu. Data for 2009 from the US  reveals H1N1 deaths were 1 in every 2,000 infected versus deaths from the  seasonal flu which vary most years from 1 death in 1,000 to 1 death in  every 2,000. Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr David  Butler-Jones, says the H1N1 virus appears, at this point, to be no more deadly than the regular flu.