The early warnings let the administrators react instantly to adjust filters to remove the dangerous payloads on a virus or quarantine suspect messages until a cure is available from the anti-virus companies.

BBC: Watching the web for viruses

But this is not necessarily a negative trend, because new treatments - although not providing a cure - are allowing those with the virus to live much longer before contracting full-blown Aids.

BBC: US HIV cases 'on the rise'

But we have analysed the potential killer virus against the history of the 2009 Swine Flu and where a drugs cure for a future avian human-to-human killer virus will come far too late.

FORBES: H7N9 Bird Flu Cases Rise To 49, Deaths At 11 In China; Beijing Shuts Poultry Markets

Still, a new family of drugs promises to boost cure rates from 40% to 56% (a "cure" being defined as six months virus-free).

FORBES: The Next HIV?