First it was avian flu and now it is race to contain swine flu


Quote:

Governments are racing to find and contain pockets of swine flu around the globe, seeking to stem both the threat of a pandemic and public panic. "We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size or seriousness of this outbreak is going to be," U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Sunday. In Mexico, the outbreak's epicenter, soldiers handed out 6 million face masks to help stop the spread of the novel virus that is suspected in up to 103 deaths.

Hmm, of course it wont be like this (Zombies) but the chaos and numbers of dead will be the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoLbfmzE5oA&feature=related

By the way i do believe i forgot my manners.
I forgot to thank the THIRD WORLD for once again endangering the human race once more.

Aussie - nice to see your good manners being so foremost.
i would have been less discreet. :-)

The World Health Organisation is always putting out these dire warnings and they come to nothing, but they love scaring people.

Apparently the next stage of the disease can lead to hog cholera. Sounds a bit suspect.

On August 20, 2007 Department of Agriculture officers investigated the outbreak of swine flu in Nueva Ecija and Central Luzon, Philippines. The mortality rate is less than 10% for swine flu, unless there are complications like hog cholera. On July 27, 2007, the Philippine National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) raised a hog cholera "red alert" warning over Metro Manila and 5 regions of Luzon after the disease spread to backyard pig farms in Bulacan and Pampanga, even if these tested negative for the swine flu virus.

The origins of this new strain remain unknown. One theory is that Asian and European strains traveled to Mexico in migratory birds or in people, then combined with North American strains in Mexican pig factory farms before jumping over to farm workers.The Mexican health agency acknowledged that the original disease vector of the virus may have been flies multiplying in manure lagoons of pig farms near Perote, Veracruz, owned by Granjas Carroll,[38] a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Apr 28^th, 2009 at 12:33am:

Aussie - nice to see your good manners being so foremost. i would have been less discreet. :-)

It was sarcasm sprint.

Swine flu is suspected in at least 149 deaths and 1,995 cases, with nearly all states reporting infections. Officials look at what is thought to be the first case, near a pig farm in Veracruz.


Quote:

The first officially confirmed fatality from the disease occurred April 13. Maria Adela Gutierrez died in the southern city of Oaxaca, capital of the state of the same name. Gutierrez was a door-to-door census-taker for the tax board, meaning she could have had contact with scores of people at her most contagious point, before being hospitalized. But Martin Vazquez Villanueva, the regional health secretary in Oaxaca, denied local news reports that said she had infected 20 people, as well as her husband and children. The Mexican government has given out information on the outbreak and its victims only in bits and pieces, refusing to provide details on who the dead are and where and when they died. For the second consecutive day, the government was on the defensive against criticism that it acted too slowly to contain the virus and to alert the public to the dangers.

Now here.

In Western Australia, ten people have been tested for swine flu so far.

Three people have been cleared and the remaining seven suspected cases are waiting for test results.

THREE Tasmanians are suspected of contracting the deadly swine flu that is sweeping the world.

Health Minister Lara Giddings today told State Parliament that the three people – one from the state's North-West, one from the East Coast and a third in the State's South – had been tested for the strain of H1N1 influenza A virus.

Ms Giddings said the test results had not yet been received back and immediate investigations had commenced into who the suspected people may have come into contact with over the past week.

Queensland Health says it is looking into 10 suspected cases of swine flu, with the total number of investigations reaching 16.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says six of those 16 cases have been cleared as negative.

"To date, there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu in Australia." or so they say. But can public trust officials?

They say there are no confirmed cases - but yesterday there were a few suspected ones.

You can't trust public officials and you have to wonder whether they're telling the truth.  If there is a pandemic as the media says - then they are probably suppressing more serious information so we don't panic.

mantra wrote on Apr 29^th, 2009 at 11:25am:

They say there are no confirmed cases - but yesterday there were a few suspected ones. You can't trust public officials and you have to wonder whether they're telling the truth.  If there is a pandemic as the media says - then they are probably suppressing more serious information so we don't panic.

I asked about Tamiflu supplies yesterday and was told there are none available..and i have to wait..so im not sure what is going on..

Getting flu shots for our whole family next week.

Normal flu shots will not offer any protection from this flu Oceans.

They are working on a vaccine now, but all you can do is wait, and if  you get it, you then can use the anti virals to fight it.

Lots of people are such wimps, that any cold they get, they say they have the flu, and they don't.

Most people who have had the flu, will tell you that it is a lot different to the sniffles and a headache, and an upset tum, tum.

Influenza has always been a serious illness, which often killed the weaker victims, the scarier ones are the ones that kill the strong, and fit as well.

yes, I had the flu once that I remember.

If you are not sure whether you have a cold or the flu.
You have a cold.

mozzaok wrote on Apr 29^th, 2009 at 12:32pm:

Normal flu shots will not offer any protection from this flu Oceans. They are working on a vaccine now, but all you can do is wait, and if  you get it, you then can use the anti virals to fight it. Lots of people are such wimps, that any cold they get, they say they have the flu, and they don't. Most people who have had the flu, will tell you that it is a lot different to the sniffles and a headache, and an upset tum, tum. Influenza has always been a serious illness, which often killed the weaker victims, the scarier ones are the ones that kill the strong, and fit as well.

Ok Mozz.but im sure I heard it said on the news that the regular flu vacc, will give some protection so..
It seems like all the deaths are happeneing in Mexico anyway..noone who  has contratcted it so far and lives in another country has died yet...

Is there a media blackout regarding information about swine flu..?
Someone on another forum said this but I can still access info online..?

It has been exaggerated.  In total there have only been 7 deaths according to the latest reports - so someone is directing misinformation at the media.

I can't see how flu injections help anyone.  There are so many strains going around - how would anyone know which flu they're going to catch? Why would any healthy person have toxins injected into their bodies on the offchance it might protect them?  

mantra wrote on Apr 30^th, 2009 at 1:14pm:

It has been exaggerated.  In total there have only been 7 deaths according to the latest reports - so someone is directing misinformation at the media. I can't see how flu injections help anyone.  There are so many strains going around - how would anyone know which flu they're going to catch? Why would any healthy person have toxins injected into their bodies on the offchance it might protect them?

Lazy swine are trying to get sickies  :(


Quote:

Health agencies around the world say they are taking aggressive measures to fight the outbreak of swine flu. The virus is now suspected in the deaths of more than 150 people in Mexico. There are also confirmed cases in six other countries (the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Spain, and Israel). In the U.S., authorities have confirmed at least 65 cases of swine flu. And President Obama has asked Congress for an additional $1.5 billion to help fight the illness.

mantra wrote on Apr 30^th, 2009 at 1:14pm:

It has been exaggerated.  In total there have only been 7 deaths according to the latest reports - so someone is directing misinformation at the media. I can't see how flu injections help anyone.  There are so many strains going around - how would anyone know which flu they're going to catch? Why would any healthy person have toxins injected into their bodies on the offchance it might protect them?

It has kind of become a pattern, Avian Bird Flu now this..I guess the pharmaceutical companies trying to drum up business.

Winter is their peak sales time after all.

Too many healthy pple in the world .

tallow - Just trotta long  :-)

Quote:

Mexican authorities say 40 more people have tested positive for the H1N1 swine flu virus, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the country to 300. The number of confirmed cases includes 12 deaths.

It is spring there.

The pharmaceutical companies should be prohibited to make profits so the evolution can take it's natural course again.

Quote:

Major U.S.-based airlines are cutting their service to Mexico, including Delta Air Lines, AirTran Airways, and many others. These cuts are being done for a few key reasons, all relating to the swine flu which continues to spread all over the world. The number of flights heading into Mexico from the U.S. is being cut drastically, mainly due to the fact that nobody wants to fly there right now for the most part. The cuts have been planned out based on the amount of demand from the consumer. This comes after Vice President Joe Biden came out this week and stated that people should not fly anywhere on a plane, suggesting it would greatly increase their chance of catching the virus. Other airlines to cut service include Continental Airlines, UAL Corp, Northwest Airlines, and others. Cruise lines have also cut service and will take a break in terms of making port stops in Mexico.

http://www.dbtechno.com/curiosity/2009/05/02/us-airlines-stop-service-to-mexico-due-to-swine-flu-fears/

They said there’ll be a black American president when pigs  flew – and waddaya know, after 100 days, swine flu…

Soren wrote on May 4^th, 2009 at 11:13am:

They said there’ll be a black American president when pigs  flew – and waddaya know, after 100 days, swine flu…

:)

WHO explains difference


Quote:

"In terms of what we're looking for, the difference between being in Phase 5, which is where we are seeing sustained community activity in at least two countries in one region in North America, we are now looking at whether there is evidence of sustained community transmission in a country in another region" ... "Phase 6 means that we are seeing continued spread of the virus to countries outside of one region," said Fukuda. "It really tells us that the virus has established itself."

Quote:

Two Australians with pre-existing health issues have now died with swine flu. Authorities say more deaths are likely as the virus hits people with chronic health problems, and clinicians in remote communities are now being urged not to restrict anti-virals to high risk groups.

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2009/s2607182.htm


Quote:

Swine flu infections have now spread across a swathe of Central Australian Indigenous communities, the Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control says.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/24/2607382.htm?section=australia

It's interesting to see how low the mortality rate is in Australia compared to other countries. That's probably because we hit  almost all the early cases with Tamiflu. Now they are changing tack. I'd expect mortality to be in line with the rest of the world from now on.

According to official figures, that's about one death in 200, which is a  significantly higher mortality than seasonal flu - worldwide. That works out at 0.5% compared to about 0.12% using raw data.

Of course, the true number of cases could be underestimated.

Quote:

A 71-year-old woman became the fourth swine flu-related death in Australia in a week, an official said Friday.

Quote:

TASMANIA has recorded its first swine flu death, as authorities concede thousands of people in the state will be stricken by the virus in coming weeks. ... Acting Director of Public Health Dr Chrissie Pickin said the death was a reminder to people most at risk from the new flu to be on their guard. "While Human Swine Flu is a mild illness for the vast majority of Tasmanians, it can be serious for those most at risk," she said. "People in this category include pregnant women, those with underlying conditions such as respiratory disease, heart disease, diabetes, renal disease, significant obesity or immune system suppression." However, while confirming schools would be a major incubator of the virus in coming weeks and months, she said parents of children would not necessarily be informed if swine flu was found at their child’s school. ...

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25745724-2702,00.html

Looks like more legal action for Tasmania.

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/newsbriefs/h1n1_antiviral_resistance_20090708/en/index.html


Quote:

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 news brief: no. 1 Viruses resistant to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) identified 8 JULY 2009 | GENEVA -- WHO has been informed by health authorities in Denmark, Japan and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, China of the appearance of H1N1 viruses which are resistant to the antiviral drug oseltamivir (known as Tamiflu) based on laboratory testing. These viruses were found in three patients who did not have severe disease and all have recovered. Investigations have not found the resistant virus in the close contacts of these three people. The viruses, while resistant to oseltamivir, remain sensitive to zanamivir.....................

Quote:

THE Swine flu pandemic is now "unstoppable" and every nation needs equal access to vaccines, a WHO official said today. ... The experts said the key priorities for each nation was to protect the integrity of the health care system, reduce the death rate and reduce transmission.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25779419-663,00.html

Experts unearth history of pandemic flu viruses


Quote:

Flu viruses that sparked the three worst pandemics in the last century circulated in their near-complete forms for years before the catastrophes occurred, researchers in Hong Kong and the United States have found. The H1N1 virus that sparked the Spanish flu of 1918-1919 circulated in swine and humans well before the pandemic started, and it did not come directly from birds as previously thought, they added. Instead, it was probably generated by genetic exchanges between flu viruses from swine and humans. This contrasts sharply with previous studies which suggested that the H1N1 virus of 1918 was a mutant that jumped direct from birds to human and ended up killing as many as 50 million people.

Let's hope that it provides immunity if there is a second more serious wave coming. I think my youngest son has it, although he's feeling better now. We took him to casualty on Sunday and they told us that they have no funds left for testing and no funds left for Tamiflu either.

I had a mild flu about a week ago for a day or two, but flu never affects me too badly anyway.

good luck muso.

Bloody hell. I thought that Australian politicians said that the country is ready and medicine is stockpiled to combat the pandemic.  :(

I do not want to create false sense of security, but I think that calculation at least should be modified a bit. If the Government for whatever reason wants to keep the total tally is fine with me, but shouldn’t we have number of new cases and maybe possibly contagious cases shown separately?

Surely, person after 2 or 3 weeks or 4 weeks of having mild case of swine flu is not spreading the disease.

Those people could be reported as having additional immunity, which could be used to calculate maximum requirement of vaccine when it becomes available in October 2009.

Happy wrote on Jul 15^th, 2009 at 1:28pm:

I do not want to create false sense of security, but I think that calculation at least should be modified a bit. If the Government for whatever reason wants to keep the total tally is fine with me, but shouldn’t we have number of new cases and maybe possibly contagious cases shown separately? Surely, person after 2 or 3 weeks or 4 weeks of having mild case of swine flu is not spreading the disease. Those people could be reported as having additional immunity, which could be used to calculate maximum requirement of vaccine when it becomes available in October 2009.

I'm all for using the resources in a sensible manner. As far as my son is concerned, he managed to eat something solid yesterday, which was the first time for several days. In his case, we took him to casualty on the Sunday because there were no doctors available. By the time he saw a doctor on Monday, it was too late for the Tamiflu to be effective anyway. He has been wearing a mask anyway, so we're minimising any spread.

It is obviously a lot more serious than seasonal flu when a perfectly healthy young man is stuck in bed, unable to sleep, eat or get on facebook for several days. The fact that he asked to see a doctor on Monday got the message across straight away, because this is the first time in his life that he has ever asked to see a doctor. He's as stubborn as I am when it comes to seeing medicos.

muso, I'm glad that your kid is getting well again.


here is something about distribution of the vaccine in USA.

Quote:

School children who have never had a flu shot may need to get vaccinated four times in the fall - twice for seasonal flu, twice for pandemic swine flu - officials at the CDC told health professionals on Wednesday. Most everyone else should expect three shots. Five manufacturers are now making vaccines against the pandemic H1N1 swine flu virus, said Dr. Tom T. Shimabukuro at the CDC's Immunization Services Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. They are well on their way to having between 40 million and 160 million doses of egg-based vaccine available in the United States by October, added Dr. Pascale Wortley the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's pandemic vaccine coordinator. On the high end, that would be enough vaccine for everyone in the United States who wanted it by January. But on the low end, it would require prioritizing distribution to health care workers and those at higher risk for complications - including children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases and asthma, Wortley said.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2009/07/15/0715swineflu.html