its global

quote:

81 dead in Mexico as flu emergency goes global Story Highlights 81 deaths in Mexico "likely linked" to swine flu; ministry given emergency powers New Zealand quarantines 22 students, 3 teachers with swine flu symptoms Officials urge Mexicans to avoid large crowds, kissing in greeting WHO says swine flu virus is "public health emergency of international concern" (CNN) -- Mexican officials are asking citizens to avoid large crowds, refrain from kissing as a greeting and maintain a distance of at least 1.8 meters (six feet) from each other amid growing concern in the country and elsewhere over new cases of suspected and confirmed swine flu infection. Several countries issued travel notices and tightened restrictions to brace against the virus the World Health Organization is calling "a public health emergency of international concern." By Sunday, 81 deaths had been deemed "likely linked" to a deadly new strain of the virus by health authorities in Mexico. Viral testing has confirmed 20 cases, said Dr. Jose A. Cordova Villalobos, Mexico's health secretary. In the United States, the number of confirmed swine flu cases stood at 11. In New Zealand, officials said 22 students and three teachers, who returned from a three-week-long language trip to Mexico, may have been infected with the virus. The 25 students and teachers at Auckland's Rangitoto College returned to New Zealand via Los Angeles on Saturday. Fourteen have shown flu-like symptoms, with four "more unwell than others," said Dr. Julia Peters, clinical director of Auckland Regional Public Health Service. Health Minister Tony Ryall said 10 students tested positive for influenza A. The specimens will be sent to WHO to determine whether it is H1N1 swine influenza. H1N1 influenza is a subset of influenza A. The WHO results are expected back by midweek. The group remains quarantined at home. "It's certainly has not been confirmed that they have swine flu," said Dr. Craig Thornley, medical officer of health in influenza. "We already have provisional information that some of the group have influenza A. We won't know if they have the type of influenza A that is swine flu." In England, authorities stressed that a crew member who developed flu-like symptoms during a flight from Mexico City to Heathrow did not test positive for swine flu. "I can confirm that the patient doesn't have swine flu," said Jonathan Street, a spokesman for Northwick Park Hospital in London. "We have done all test, and they all came back negative." In Israel, doctors are running tests on a man who recently returned from Mexico with light flu symptoms. U.S. health officials said Friday that some cases of the virus in the United States matched samples of the deadly Mexican virus. All the patients have recovered or are expected to. The panic over the virus prompted Canada to issue a travel health notice, saying the public health agency was "tracking clusters of severe respiratory illness with deaths in Mexico." Watch CBC report on Canadian microbiologists' concerns » South Korea said it will test airline passengers arriving from the United States. And Japan will convene a Cabinet meeting Monday to come up with measures to block the entry of the virus into the country. The United States had not issued any travel warnings or quarantines. But US Airways said Saturday night it would allow passengers to change plans if they wanted to because of the outbreak. Airline spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said it was not asking people not to travel to Mexico, but wanted to "give them that flexibility" if "they don't feel comfortable." Gregory Hartl, of the World Health Organization, said the strain of the virus seen in Mexico is worrisome because it has mutated from older strains.Watch how public health officials grade phases of pandemic alerts » "Any time that there is a virus which changes ... it means perhaps the immunities the human body has built up to dealing with influenza might not be adjusted well enough to dealing with this new virus," Hartl said. He said that, in Mexico, otherwise young, healthy people have been hit by the virus -- "one of the pieces of the puzzle that is worrying us," he said. Mexico City has closed all of its schools and universities until further notice because of the virus. Watch efforts in Mexico to prevent spread of the virus » More than 1,300 people with flu-like symptoms have been admitted to hospitals in Mexico, and officials are trying to determine how many of them have swine flu, said Jose Cordova Villalobos, the country's health minister. The H1N1 strain of swine flu is usually associated with pigs. When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it a tougher strain that is harder to treat or fight off. Symptoms of swine flu include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the CDC said.Learn more about swine flu and how to treat it » President Barack Obama, who visited Mexico last week en route to the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, is not sick. "The president's trip to Mexico has not put his health in any danger," spokesman Robert Gibbs said. CNN's Saeed Ahmed and Raja Razek contributed to this report. All AboutMexico • Influenza • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/2....flu/index.html

Scary times indeed. When I was living in Toronto, there was the whole SARS thing which caught everyone quite offguard and the public reacted as the public usually does - in a slightly irrational manner.

Hopefully civil authorities are a little more well-prepared (especially in this "post 9/11 world *barf*" where there has been the looming scenario of a chemical or biological attack.

Personally though, I'm not too concerned with it living over here, but if I was anywhere near the Mexican border I would certainly be more guarded about things.

___________________
Paul

A little off topic perhaps, but I just finished reading a book where a genetically-engineered disease ravaged the world and humanity and civilization decimated. Basically, the premise was that pharmaceutical companies were manufacturing diseases simultaneously with vaccines in order to get rich, and they deployed a disease that simply outran their vaccination capacity.

In any case, the curious genetic combination of swine+avian+human flu has me a bit puzzled, and I'd be interested in hearing from a biologist or someone who understands viruses to hear exactly how that can occur in nature...

___________________

My job deals with lots of travelers. I should probably wash my hands periodically.

quote:

Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov In any case, the curious genetic combination of swine+avian+human flu has me a bit puzzled, and I'd be interested in hearing from a biologist or someone who understands viruses to hear exactly how that can occur in nature...

thats the only reason why im kinda worried- it's when i heard that!

its kind of scary how these organisms can freaking upgrade.

typically only children and old peeps die from an influenza strain. Since I'm neither a child nor an old person, I'm not concerned.

Anyway, the media likes to hype this type of BS because of the exotic names. Every summer in NYC we have these warnings about the west nile virus. However, only 6 new yorkers died from the west nile virus in 2008, and only 46 were infected with the virus. More people die in a year from the common cold or diarrhea than the west nile virus. Imagine if the media reported how many people were infected with a normal strain of influenza, or had Pneumonia! The numbers of people infected by these two illnesses and killed as a result of having these illnesses would vastly outnumber the people with Swine-flu. The only reason these new strains get so much attention is the exotic names or origins of the diseases. The statistical probability of contracting and dying from most of these exotic diseases is usually less than the chances of catching and dying from more common diseases.

Now here's the true cynic in me: hyping these exotic diseases also gives doctors a great chance to get their names out their on major networks acting like "experts" on the talk shows. I bet PR firms (getting doctors placed on TV shows explaining the diseases) do well when new exotic diseases emerge (especially if they are the main cause of the publicity in the first place). Normal people don't need experts to tell us about the "normal" flu and other common diseases. Because we don't need to be informed about the more common diseases, I think alot of the hype is created by PR firms trying to get certain doctors airtime (for whatever personal reason the doctor may have).

Last edited by jerZ07002 on Apr-27-2009 at 01:19

quote:

Originally posted by jerZ07002 typically only children and old peeps die from an influenza strain. Since I'm neither a child nor an old person, I'm not concerned.

Except in pandemic situations. Then it's the exact opposite. A healthy immune system overreacts to a virulent pathogen and kills the host. Your immune system does you in be being overzealous. At least it has a cool name..."cytokine storm."

quote:

Originally posted by NeoPhono "cytokine storm."

i've always thought that was George Strait's best album

quote:

Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov A little off topic perhaps, but I just finished reading a book where a genetically-engineered disease ravaged the world and humanity and civilization decimated. Basically, the premise was that pharmaceutical companies were manufacturing diseases simultaneously with vaccines in order to get rich, and they deployed a disease that simply outran their vaccination capacity.

Sonds like a plot to a Resident Evil game/movie. Any mention of a Umbrella corporation in there y any chance

___________________

quote:

Originally posted by Moongoose Sonds like a plot to a Resident Evil game/movie. Any mention of a Umbrella corporation in there y any chance

Ha, no, but it was Margaret Atwood, so it was a bit out there.

___________________

I'm waiting for the conspiracy whackos to turn this into...well...a conspiracy.