H1N1 Mortality Rate Increases
As of July 31st, the World Health Organization reports 1154 deaths due to the H1N1 virus among a global total of 162,380 cases, for an overall mortality rate of 0.71%. Consequently the H1N1 death rate has increased more than 60% after holding steady at about 0.44% since mid-June. The current H1N1 death rate also surpasses the death rate from early June (0.66%). Among the tabulated deaths, 87% (1008) have occurred in North and South America.
The apparent increase in death rate is simply a result of the fact that doctors have been less aggressive about testing mild cases as it's become clearer that the disease is generally mild.
Generally only severe cases get tested. So what appears to be an increase in death rate is actually a result of the fact that the measured death rate is now the death rate among cases severe enough to get tested.
To put into an analogy: if you test all females for pregnancy you'll get a low pregnancy rate, but if you change your procedures and only test women who are gaining weight, it will look like the pregnancy rate has suddenly increased.