Hypochondria?

Let's hope so. Today I read in the paper that in the next week or so doctors are anticipating a viral "epidemic" in Berlin. The virus in question attacks the stomach and intestines, apparently, and causes all the problems you'd associate with those organs. "Symptoms last 2 to 5 days, and are especially dangerous for infants and the elderly." This was reported in an article about as long as this post, and, if not for the fact that diarrhea was meantioned, could have been a warning about a minor freeze or heat wave.
Germans are notorious hypochondriacs, so I'm hoping that this epidemic will have approximately the same impact on my life as the daily Bioweather report ("Air pressure will drop mid afternoon, causing headaches and dizziness"). However, as a bit of a hypochondriac myself, I read "epidemic" and I think "Panic!" But because studying abroad is about cultural immersion blah blah blah (and because the newspaper didn't mention anything about prevention) I guess I'll follow the Germans' uncharacteristically calm lead and go to work today after all.