The news have been here all over the place as well. The virus is a new mutation that managed to cross the barrier between pigs and humans. Flu viruses are very flexible, so they mutate often and of course it becomes very dangerous when they can cross that barrier.
It happened with the avian flu before but pigs are more likely even as they are mammals and closer to us than birds. This is not the first and definitely not the last flu virus to be introduced from another species.
Up to now there is no vaccination as the virus is new. The development of a vaccine will take some months. While WHO recommends flu vaccination especially for the elderly, this existing vaccination will not yet help against this new virus.
However we heard here that the flu caused by the new virus responds well to modern flu meds.
We heard that even in Mexico it is not yet clear whether all of the people who died were hit by the new virus. Per year some 100.000 people die in the world of just "normal" flu- which is bad enough.
So- it is all very sad and a reason for lots and lots of caution but it is not yet a reason to panic.
And Karen is right: we should wash our hands, maybe not shake them (a German problem ) and avoid masses of people where the droplets can travel very well from person to person.
Sending all my best wishes to Isabel and family who are so close to the place where this virus started it's dangerous journey.