Right, if you want a hard-core bioweapon super-virus, well... Adenovirus, Coronavirus, Varicella zoster, Measles... All of these would sound apocalyptic if their mechanisms were described on the news as belonging to a "novel" virus. Yeah, maybe someone could edit the code in varicella zoster to remove the dormancy timer, and kill 9/10ths of the planet before the virus re-co-evolves with its host, I guess - but in general it's a lot easier to kill everyone with an injection than a virus.
Right, if you want a hard-core bioweapon super-virus, well... Adenovirus, Coronavirus, Varicella zoster, Measles... All of these would sound apocalyptic if their mechanisms were described on the news as belonging to a "novel" virus. Yeah, maybe someone could edit the code in varicella zoster to remove the dormancy timer, and kill 9/10ths of the planet before the virus re-co-evolves with its host, I guess - but in general it's a lot easier to kill everyone with an injection than a virus.