Swine flu

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican and U.S. health officials searched on Saturday for signs an outbreak of a new flu strain is spreading further, after it killed up to 68 people in Mexico and infected eight in the United States.

As Mexico shut schools and museums and axed public events, global health officials stopped short of declaring a pandemic.

But they warned more cases could come to light, making up a major outbreak, as the flu spreads between people and infected some individuals who had no contact with one another.

The World Health Organization said the virus from 12 of the Mexican patients was the same genetically as a new strain of swine flu, designated H1N1, seen in eight people in California and Texas who later recovered.

The Mexican government said the flu had killed 20 people and it may also be responsible for 48 other deaths. In all, 1,004 suspected cases have been reported nationwide.

Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova, speaking on the evening television news, encouraged people to avoid crowds and wear face masks, noting there was no guarantee that going to get a flu vaccine would help against the new strain.

He said the death rate appeared to have steadied and hospitals in the past few days had not seen the exponential rise in the number of people infected that many had feared.

Genetic analysis shows the flu strain is a never-before-seen mixture of swine, human and avian viruses.

The fact most of the dead were aged between 25 and 45 was seen as a worrying sign linked to pandemics, as seasonal flu tends to be more deadly among the elderly and the very young.

Complete story [reuters]
 

Cerise

Well-Known Member
The worrisome new virus - which combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before - also sickened at least eight people in Texas and California, though there have been no deaths in the U.S.

"We are very, very concerned," World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human ... It's all hands on deck at the moment."

:eek:

The first case was seen in Mexico on April 13. The outbreak coincided with the President Barack Obama’s trip to Mexico City on April 16. Obama was received at Mexico’s anthropology museum in Mexico City by Felipe Solis, a distinguished archeologist who died the following day from symptoms similar to flu, Reforma newspaper reported. The newspaper didn’t confirm if Solis had swine flu or not.
 

Dave

Well-Known Member
Wait and see.
Few years back it was avian flu in Asia. Had similar numbers of cases and fatalities rather quickly. Officials were worried because it was a new strain. I think our ER visits went up 20% during that time.
Couple weeks later, never heard from it again.

The makers of Tamiflu have already announced they should have plenty of it in stock as this strain is sensitive to it.
 

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
# Eleven confirmed infections in the US
# In addition, eight suspected cases are being investigated at a New York City high school where about 200 students fell mildly ill with flu-like symptoms
# Ten New Zealand students are among a group which travelled to Mexico have tested positive for influenza A - making it "likely", though not definite, that they are infected with swine flu, said Health Minister Tony Ryall
# In France, a top health official told Le Parisien newspaper there were unconfirmed suspicions that two individuals who had just returned from Mexico may be carrying the virus
# In Israel, medics are testing a 26-year-old man who has been taken to hospital with flu-like symptoms after returning from a trip to Mexico

Officials said most of those killed so far in Mexico were young adults - rather than more vulnerable children and the elderly.

There is currently no vaccine for the new strain but severe cases can be treated with antiviral medication.

It is unclear how effective currently available flu vaccines would be at offering protection against the new strain, as it is genetically distinct from other flu strains.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8019100.stm

I heard they are having some cases in Spain as well.
 

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
This reminds me of SARS, more than the Avian Flu, because of the potential to spread through travelers, rather than migrating birds.

Advice: don't put your fingers in any orifice ... until you've washed them thoroughly. :lol:
 

catocom

Well-Known Member
IMO something is amiss with this story.
The numbers here aren't looking that bad atm.
I'm wondering if this is some kind of misdirection.

Although I think the research should continue.
 

2minkey

bootlicker
yep. it's misdirection. to keep us distracted while obama smuggles purple elephants in his butt. arranged by the conspiratorial genuis of the CDC.

really. go on down to 'lanta and see whats up. with the youth.

:rainfrow:
 

chcr

Too cute for words
What was the first?
Obama may not be American. :retard:
Actually it's the news out of Pakistan and our collective indifference to it.
Advice: don't put your fingers in any orifice ... until you've washed them thoroughly. :lol:
Oh... darn...
The numbers here aren't looking that bad atm.
It's the potential that's frightening, cato. Dave's probably right, it's probably a tempest in a teapot but it needn't be and that's what scares me. We over medicate a scratch and sooner or later the medicine isn't going to work anymore.
 

spike

New Member
Money for pandemic preparation was stripped out of the stimulus bill. Karl Rove complained about it.

kissing_pig.jpg
 

Professur

Well-Known Member
Man, if it isn't africans screwing monkeys, it's chinese fucking chickens, now it's mexicans after the hogs.
 

catocom

Well-Known Member
I just heard that, that school in NY hired crews, and is getting the facility cleaned.
Very smart moved on that principle's part.:headbang:
 

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
Man, if it isn't africans screwing monkeys, it's chinese fucking chickens, now it's mexicans after the hogs.
The africans weren't screwing the monekys..they were eating them...ditto for China and Mexico., but in their cases, it's raising them as well.

worldmap-swineflu-584.jpg


Flu spread thus far. Flu count in Mexico is 1600+ Death-count in Mexico tops 100. 10+ in Canada (no deaths), and 10 in New Zealand (also no deaths). One in Spain.

Flu takes 10 days or so to go from contageous to symptomatic..from what I understand, hospitals got warnings early last week to keep an eye on sick travellers. If a big breakout happens, it'll be within the next two weeks. One week before Mexican borders are closed to travellers..and 1-2 weeks before we see how effective that would've been if they'd done it a week earlier.

Markets dont' like it one bit.
 

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
One week before Mexican borders are closed to travellers..and 1-2 weeks before we see how effective that would've been if they'd done it a week earlier.

Markets dont' like it one bit.

You mean at least, Mexican, US, Canadian and Spanish borders.
 

Professur

Well-Known Member
Everyone panic ... there's a one in 17000 chance you'll die if you're one of the one in 14000 that catch it.
 
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