Mysterious U.S. Swine Flu Probe Widens as Mexico Finds Swine Flu *updated*

Jacksonville records first swine flu death. Live report at Noon on WOKV.

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Swine Flu Death in Jacksonville

Jacksonville has recorded its first death from the swine flu.

The state health department says the victim was a 55 year-old male. No other information is known about the man.

Florida now has seven cases of swine flu death.

A 25-year-old female from Palm Beach County has also died.

Health officials say Florida has 1,781 confirmed cases of swine flu.

[edit on 9-7-2009 by JBA2848]

Woman, 25, is Palm Beach County's first swine flu death

PALM BEACH COUNTY - A 25-year-old woman has become Palm Beach County's first swine flu fatality, health officials said today.

The state laboratory confirmed the death, bringing the state total to seven people killed by the H1N1 virus, according to the Palm Beach County Health Department.

The unidentified woman died June 27, department spokesman Tim O'Connor said.

Most swine flu cases tend to be relatively mild and mirror the symptoms of more-common flu strains, O'Connor said. He said health officials are skeptical that the swine flu would kill a perfectly healthy 25 year old, but he had no specific information about whether the woman had other health problems.
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Took them two weeks to report it. Makes me feel safer living so close by.

States told to prepare for worst-case swine flu scenario

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The nation's secretary of health and human services told government leaders at a swine-flu preparedness summit Thursday that a vaccine to fight the H1N1 virus should be ready for distribution in mid-October.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says researchers warn the impact of the H1N1 virus may worsen this fall.

Kathleen Sebelius also advised 500 government, health and education leaders to plan for the worst-case scenario: that the virus will reappear with renewed strength this fall.

"What we need to assume is that it will come back in a much more severe form," she said at the conference in Washington.

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U.S. pledges $8.5 billion for fall swine flu shots

WASHINGTON - Vaccinations against swine flu are likely and probably will begin in mid-October, assuming soon-to-start studies go well.

The government will fully pay for any autumn vaccination program against the new H1N1 swine flu, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said on Thursday.

"We have already appropriated about a billion dollars to buy the bulk ingredients," Sebelius told a swine flu "summit" of state and local leaders at the National Institutes of Health She said another $7.5 billion was available from emergency preparedness funds.

President Barack Obama telephoned the NIH all the way from Italy Thursday to tell a meeting of 500 flu officials not to promote panic — but to make sure "we are promoting vigilance and preparation."


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Nunavut reports swine flu death

The Nunavut government is reporting that a patient who tested positive for the H1N1 swine flu virus has died.

The health department says the patient was a resident of both Nunavut and Alberta.

The patient died in an Alberta hospital.

Officials say it's not clear what role the virus played in the death since the individual had chronic, pre-existing medical conditions.

Since the death happened in Alberta and the deceased was recognized as an Alberta resident, it's been reported as an Alberta death associated with H1N1.

Meanwhile, Nunavut is reporting 32 more cases of H1N1, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases in the territory to 372.

Sixty percent of reported cases are from the Kivalliq region, 37 percent are from the Kitikmeot region and three percent are from the Baffin region. Most patients have already recovered from the illness.
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Swine flu summit outlines scary scenario

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Top health officials today offered some sobering, even scary, words at a swine flu summit in Washington.

Summed up, millions of kids may have to get a short series of swine flu shots as schools open across the country, something way out of the ordinary for the students, parents and school officials.

But first, large pharmaceutical companies are racing to see whether they can even produce a vaccine that will work and slow the spread of the disease, which has infected at least 1 million Americans.

Consider these comments from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at today's summit of top state and health officials from across the country:

I think that part of the challenge is how to communicate effectively with folks to be prepared without scaring people to death. It has to be a balance between complacency and preparation.... We have got to push supplies out. We have got to push antivirals out.

Sebelius added that officials also have to prepare to close schools if needed.

Depending on the severity of the outbreak, community mitigation could involve more systematic means of social distancing, including limits on large gatherings and, if necessary and appropriate, temporary school or workplace closures.

One of the biggest concerns about swine flu is that the spread of the disease has continue throughout the Northern hemisphere in the summer -- when flu season normally takes a holiday.

In other words, if swine flu is bad in the summer, how much worse could it be when the normal flu season arrives?

The big drug companies better come up with a winner when it comes to an effective swine flu vaccine, or this could be a long and deadly winter.

And, yes, that is scary.

El Salvador reported two babies died from H1N1

The Ministry of El Salvador reported today that two babies in the department of La Libertad died of influenza A H1N1. This brings to three the number of fatalities due to the pandemic virus. The consultation report provides just the day that classes resume in the departments of La Libertad and San Salvador, where there was a break of 12 days before the increase in cases of people infected with this virus.

The owner of Health, Maria Isabel Rodriguez, said that the victims were a girl 5 months old Canton resident of Ojo de Agua in Huizúcar (La Libertad) and a boy of 9 months of Guangzhou in Granadilla Santa Tecla (La Libertad)

The official said that children already had health complications, which aggravated the situation.

On cases, there are Health reported 360 confirmed cases of influenza, and 86 suspected cases and 84 in surveillance.

Fifth swine flu death reported in county

County health officials today announced that a 36-year-old man has died after being infected with the swine flu. It is the fifth death associated with the H1N1 influenza A virus in the region.

The man, who had underlying health issues, died Saturday. No other details about the victim were immediately released.

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Thailand's death toll from A/H1N1 flu rises to 14

BANGKOK, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Thailand has one more death due to the influenza A/H1N1 virus infection, bringing the country's death toll to 14, local media reported Thursday.

The latest victim is a 45-year-old man who was hospitalized in Bangkok and died on July 6, the Thai-language news agency INN quoted ministry sources as saying.

Earlier Thursday, a high-school student in a northeastern province of Ma-ha-sa-ra-kham became the 13th death from the virus, the INN said.

As of Thursday morning, the ministry announced 211 more patients, bringing the country's total number to 2,925.

Thailand had its first two confirmed patients on May 12.

Seven died from swine flu in Uruguay

MONTEVIDEO (AP) - The Ministry of Public Health reported on Thursday the seventh death from the virus of swine influenza in Uruguay, which has caused a "spillover" in hospital services.

Adriana Brescia, director of Health Department of Florida, about 100 kilometers north of the capital, reported that the deceased was a man of 53 years who suffered severe complications such as high blood pressure, diabetes and respiratory problems.

The latest report from the Ministry of Public Health indicated that there are 255 persons committed of which 72 are affected by influenza AH1N1.

The Administration of State Health Services (ASSE), announced that it is trying to reduce non-urgent surgery for increased number of beds due to the spread of swine flu.

"There is an overflow level in the whole country's health system, private and public," Martin told the press Desarkisian of ASSE.

If Swine Flu Wasn't Enough, Now There's Swine Ebola

Don't worry, it can't hurt you—yet.

Scientists have identified Reston ebolavirus—a member of the deadly Ebola group of hemorrhagic viruses—in domestic swine from the Philippines.

The virus, which looks like a piece of yarn with a slight bend, is the only Ebola pathogen not known to cause disease in humans. Even so, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta considers it a biosafety level 4 pathogen, reserved for the most dangerous and exotic diseases.

Ebola and the closely related Marburg viruses are highly contagious, causing vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding with death rates as high as 90 percent. These viruses, originally from Africa, are thought to be caught from close contact with monkeys and apes, their primary hosts, although they have also been isolated from bats that show no symptoms.
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Ebola found in Philippine pigs for first time

WASHINGTON – A form of ebola virus has been detected in pigs for the first time, raising concerns it could mutate and threaten humans, scientists report.

Reston ebolavirus has only been seen in monkeys and humans previously and, unlike other types of ebola, it is not known to cause illness in people.

The discovery of REBOV in pigs in the Philippines is reported in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

Researchers say it is theoretically possible for the virus to mutate in pigs into a form that might sicken people.

However, they noted that while some of the farm workers tending the pigs also had become infected, they showed no signs of illness.
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Embattled pigs source of Ebola virus, too: study

Pity the poor pigs. Seems they can catch anything but a break.

First they were the source of the H1N1 virus that's now reached pandemic proportions around the globe.

And now a form of Ebola — a contagious hemorrhagic ailment that can make the worst swine flu look like a case of the sniffles — has been found in pigs, a new study in the journal Science says.

The disease, which can cause bleeding from every cavity and organ and an agonizing death, was thought to reside largely within remote monkey populations.

But the confirmation of Ebola in at least two pig herds in the Philippines has placed the disease a disconcerting step closer to humans, researchers says.

"Humans are in close proximity to swine, we're in contact with them all the time," says Michael McIntosh, the senior study author.

"And with the swine in close contact with each other they can spread it amongst themselves and then you can get a large amount of virus. You have to worry about it getting amplified in swine."

Fortunately, McIntosh says, the disease strain found in the Philippine pigs last year was the Reston Ebola virus, to which humans are resistant.

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Doctor shortage shuts down Bulli Hospital ED

Northern Illawarra residents are again being forced south for medical treatment, with Bulli Hospital's emergency department all but closed until next week.

South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health is urging people with non-urgent medical needs to go straight to Wollongong Hospital.

Those who turn up at Bulli Hospital's emergency department will be seen by a nurse, but only those seriously ill will be transferred by ambulance to Wollongong Hospital.

Less serious patients will be asked to make their own way. The arrangement will be in place until at least Monday night.

The health service, addressing community concerns the measure was an indication the hospital would be permanently closed, reaffirmed a recent pledge to keep it open.

Southern network manager Sue Browbank said the diversion strategy was needed to help cope with an increase in emergency department presentations across the region's hospitals - and a shortage of doctors.

Several doctors had called in this week with the flu.

"We've been having some difficulties (in replacing the sick doctors) because there is a nationwide shortage of locum doctors," Ms Browbank said.

The shortage of locum doctors generally worsened during winter, when doctors become ill, and this year was worse than usual because of the swine flu, she said.
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Spain recorded the second death caused by H1N1

A man of 41 years died due to influenza A in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, informed this Thursday, the Spanish Ministry of Health, argues that the deceased had other health problems.

The man was hospitalized for six days in the Unit of Intensive Medicine, Hospital Doctor Negrín from Las Palmas and had chronic health problems.

This is the second victim from the deadly H1N1 virus in Spain, after the death of a young man of 20 years to 30 June.

Breaking News: Alberta Health confirms another H1N1 death in Calgary area

Alberta Health confirms there has been another death in the Calgary area of H1N1 influenza.

CTV News will have more details soon.

As of July 9, there have been 1,204 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Alberta and three deaths.
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Monterey County reports first death related to H1N1

A Monterey County resident died while hospitalized for complications of H1N1 virus infection. Serious underlying medical conditions placed the individual at high risk of developing severe disease.
"We would like to convey our deepest sympathy to the family of this patient," said Dr. Hugh Stallworth, Health Officer for Monterey County "We know that H1N1 is present throughout our community, as it is throughout the nation. The vast majority of cases have been mild or moderate and the patients recover. Tragically, in this case, that did not occur."

Monterey County, along with the rest of California, continues to see an increase in the number of cases of H1N1.

"The virus is not behaving as one would expect. Normally we do not see influenza cases during the summer months," said Dr. Stallworth. "We are continuing to see clusters of infected individuals and advise everyone to continue to take actions to prevent the spread of the virus."

First swine flu death in Santa Cruz County

A middle-aged Santa Cruz County woman has died at a local hospital after being hospitalized with the swine flu virus, Santa Cruz County Public Health Officer Poki Namkung, M.D. announced today.
The death occurred on July 7. She is the first person in Santa Cruz County to die from the virus. According to the county, the woman had underlying health conditions which may have put her at risk for severe H1N1 illness. Health officials said they will not be releasing the identity of the patient

Santa Cruz County press release

Swine flu hits Mexico tourism with losses of 524 million dollars
Health News

Jul 9, 2009, 18:10 GMT

Mexico City - Mexico suffered a massive drop in tourism in May amounting to 524 million dollars because of swine flu, the tourism ministry said Thursday.

The figure was based on data gathered by Mexico's central bank and had a major impact on tourism in the country, although it was well below the expected figure of 1 billion dollars in losses, Tourism Minister Rodolfo Elizondo said.

www.monstersandcritics.com...

U.S. Prepared to Spend Billions on Swine Flu VaccineSchool-age children will be among the population groups likely to get pandemic H1N1 flu vaccine in the fall, and they may get their shots at schoolwww.washingtonpost.com...

Relenza Warnings

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Relenza is not recommended for people suffering from asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or any other chronic lung disease. If you find yourself in any of these situations you should talk to your doctor before starting treatment with Relenza. Also, treatment with Relenza should be stopped immediately if you develop illnesses like bronchospasm or decreased lung functionwww.drugdelivery.ca...