You suggested that the fuss was largely groundless. It isn't. This is important, and many people grasp that. No surprise it makes the news.
The fuss about the effects of this disease is (based on my experience of it), pretty much groundless. You have also admitted that it is mild.
Now, it may turn into something else. It may not. At the moment it is a mild illness.
OK so far?
So, what I would expect to see is the news saying: this thing is not a big deal, but what it might turn into could well be a big deal. Do not panic about getting this, it is incredibly unlikely to kill you unless you are very ill already, just like ordinary flu. Unless you are seriously ill already, just go to bed. They don't report people dying of "normal" flu....do they?
It spills over in to the real world. We have "swine flu contingency plans" at work. Not "son of swine flu", but swine flu. The plan is aligned for an illness that wipes people out for weeks - and doesn't work at all with something that lasts about 2 days.