Swine Flu news and updates thread

Hi everyone, just joined ATS to post this information. I have no idea if it is true or not - I found it via reddit. It is interesting and it may shed some light on why the CDC and WHO are taking such a concern with this virus.

I just posted the entire email - as I received it today - in this thread. I explained the circumstances of my receiving the email in the thread & believe it to be factual. I, also, posted the doctor's name & location should anyone care to look it up for reference.....




[edit on 4/29/2009 by Champagne]

Originally posted by spark9576
reply to post by MikeboydUS

 

Thanks for the clarification. I couldn't' tell if it was Reuters or a "Reuters Like" site.

So I can take it that any news from alertnet is just about as credible if nor more than the MSM?

Anything from Alertnet is Reuters.

Reuters is one of the most credible news organizations in the world.

Originally posted by Champagne

Hi everyone, just joined ATS to post this information. I have no idea if it is true or not - I found it via reddit. It is interesting and it may shed some light on why the CDC and WHO are taking such a concern with this virus.

I just posted the entire email - as I received it today - in this thread. I explained the circumstances of my receivi9ng the email in the thread & believe it to be factual. I, also, posted the doctor's name & location should anyone care to look it up for reference.....

I apologize. Thank you for the information. I'll remember to browse the forums a bit more before posting such vital info...

reply to post by apacheman




"It's like this: flu virii have eight independent genes, when they meet in an infected cell they split up and reshuffle their gene packages randomly. This particular bug has genetic components from North American swine flu, European swine fle, an avion flu, and human flu. Somewhere waaay back there it was reported as a 3-2-2-1 mix, but I can't confirm that. Now what that means is that this is a bridge flu: it can infect pigs, birds, and humans. Every time it hits a bird, it might mutate to include components of the H5N1 virus and human flu. Beginning to see the implications? Being a tri-species flu also means that it has multiple reservoirs to hide in and pop out slightly different each time: wave after wave of different flus.

Now do you understand why those with a clue are getting progessively more freaked?


Thanks man for writing this!

A bridge flu is what makes this new unique virus soo scary and interesting at the same time!

Heck! it can develop to something even more dangerous for humans before the second wave hits.

For those in the Western NY area,

NIAGARA COUNTY: Two residents being tested for swine flu
They say the test results shoud be in in 2 days.

One person traveled recently to Mexico, the other to NY City.

Originally posted by somniis

Originally posted by Champagne

Hi everyone, just joined ATS to post this information. I have no idea if it is true or not - I found it via reddit. It is interesting and it may shed some light on why the CDC and WHO are taking such a concern with this virus.

I just posted the entire email - as I received it today - in this thread. I explained the circumstances of my receivi9ng the email in the thread & believe it to be factual. I, also, posted the doctor's name & location should anyone care to look it up for reference.....

I apologize. Thank you for the information. I'll remember to browse the forums a bit more before posting such vital info...

No apology necessary!! Many more people read this thread, so the word is getting out.

reply to post by apacheman


Well first off you said I have the date wrong after saying it broke early April. Then you said it broke around Easter. Easter is Early April, Good Friday was April 10th I believe. I have been following this since it started, so please spare me the down talk.

My post was not about getting exact details correct anyway. My point was, the media here in Canada has been playing this down considerbly more than the US media and the WHO is. And the people without a clue as you mention are the same people/experts that were involved with the SARS outbreak here in Canada/Toronto.

This is why I am confused. I am near Toronto. We lost 44 people to SARS. The province declared it an emergency, closed 2 hospitals etc etc etc.
We have been through the whole everyone wearing masks/shortage and panic et al including the deaths. Because of this I would expect that this province would be all over this thing so that it doesn't happen again here.

This is why I am confused. Now do you understand why I am confused?

# US, Alabama:
All City Parks Closed in Madison County Due to Probable Swine Influenza Cases.
#swineflu11 minutes ago from web

Closing city parks now.Whats next, shopping malls?

Forget reading the Stand, we seem to be living it. CNN even has a video dedicated to Naming the new virus Haven't dreamed of any old ladies or dark dudes yet! Im not as sick as I was, but I have been up all day and just got home from work. Can some one post a recap of whats happening now?

Originally posted by PrisonerOfSociety
Are there any big American sports events over the weekend or next week?

If they are closing schools so rapidly, then US will follow suit to Mexico and close sporting events, like they did with the football.

This will be a good test as to how TPTB will respond. If WHO announces level 6 then dig in people, it's gonna be a rough ride.

The Kentucky Derby in Louisville KY is this Sat., May 2nd. People from all over the world come here, and it makes me very concerned. My husband and I both work in the restaurant business, so we're going to be exposed to people from all over, many of whom may have the flu and not realize it.

suspected death from the flu outbreak in guatemala.

if true this would be the third country with a death from the swine flu.

Not sure if this belongs here, but:

Cybercriminals exploit swine flu fears with spam e-mails

Spammers and cybercriminals are exploiting fears over swine flu to peddle counterfeit drugs and steal credit card details, internet security firms have warned.

Just be safe and don't open these emails. Someone always wants to make a buck off something.

reply to post by oneinthesame


Whats worse is they do it in times of disaster.What type of person does that make you?
It's times like this that make you look at humanity and wonder if 'end of days' isn't such a bad idea.

Originally posted by elitegamer23
suspected death from the flu outbreak in guatemala.

if true this would be the third country with a death from the swine flu.

I still am not flipping out about this. Any one single flu has the same or much worse results. This is at the moment, VERY MILD. Aside from cases in Mexico, which the death rate baffles me a bit, everywhere else in the world, the symptoms and deaths when compared to any normal flu, are quite underwhelming.

Worse that could happen is a nasty mutation. If this does not happen, this is a lot milder than your normal run of the mill flu season. Caution is advised, but the blind panic I'm seeing is not warranted. People need to calm down.

Here is a little more information regarding the differences between Influenza A and B and why finding a vaccine is going to be difficult.

Influenza B viruses are only known to infect humans and seals,[1] giving them influenza. This limited host range is apparently responsible for the lack of Influenza virus B caused influenza pandemics in contrast with those caused by the morphologically similar Influenza virus A as both mutate by both genetic drift and re assortment.[2][3][4]

To sum up, Influenza B is found only in humans, with the rare exception of being found in seals. Influenza A is found in humans but also in animals. Before this new genotype of Swine flu, it was very difficult for a flu found primarily in animals such as Bird flu to make the jump to infecting humans. i.e. you almost always have to consume an infected animal to get Bird flu. In order for a genetic drift to take place their must be several mutations. This is a complicated process and yet extremely important. Humans have zero immunity to any type of animal gene. The only immunity we have is to Influenza type B.

Most of the flu vaccines we have on hand have been manufactured to protect against Influenza B. This is due to the fact that Influenza type B., mutates at a rate of 2-3x slower than that of Influenza A, allowing time to find the an effective vaccine. We don't have a vaccine to protect against Influenza type A. With a virus that changes so quickly it will be difficult to find one.
So now we have a virus that spreads easily, mutates rapidly and we have no immunity towards. Someone has come up with the 'perfect lethal virus'.

I would like to add, when I speak of vaccine, I am not referring to the well known antivirals such as Tamiflu or Relenza, I am speaking of the 'old fashion flu shot'.

link[en.wikipedia.org...]

Good morning from Scotland. I awake this morning to my wife having had the runs, running a temperature and having a sore throat. Tried the confirmed nhs24 helpline number from TV for advice...result, no answer. I will continue trying/

respects

reply to post by fleabit


Lets forget all about numbers here for a second.

The issue here and 'hype' as some may call it, is from the fact that this is a strain never seen before.When you have a strain never seen, you have no idea how to control it.You have no cure.You cant just go get some flu medicine and call it a day.You don't know how it works.What if it all of a sudden gets out of control.What if this type of virus sits quite and then 'explodes' into this super bug that goes airborne.You don't want this thing going airborne without having some sort of vaccine.

On a lighter note, anyone expecting 'zombies' to start running rampid through the streets every time they do a live broadcast on the streets

reply to post by captiva


Oh man ...
Stay calm and keep trying.Do nothing else other than monitoring her and your grandchild.
I wish you luck friend

We have 2 confirmed cases of swine Flu in Alberta, Canada
Source

I heard on the radio that they where sanitizing Bankers hall in downtown Calgary
because of it ( Its a large, sprawling shopping mall)



[edit on 30-4-2009 by MonoChromeWrayth]

Originally posted by SMR
reply to post by fleabit

 

Lets forget all about numbers here for a second.

The issue here and 'hype' as some may call it, is from the fact that this is a strain never seen before.When you have a strain never seen, you have no idea how to control it.You have no cure.You cant just go get some flu medicine and call it a day.You don't know how it works.What if it all of a sudden gets out of control.What if this type of virus sits quite and then 'explodes' into this super bug that goes airborne.You don't want this thing going airborne without having some sort of vaccine.

On a lighter note, anyone expecting 'zombies' to start running rampid through the streets every time they do a live broadcast on the streets

Uhm, This IS a super bug and it is ALREADY AIRBORNE. What do you think the mode of transmission is? It is through droplets dispersed in the air due to coughing, talking and sneezing. This is why you see and hear all the talk of wearing masks. This is also the reason why we are seeing a rapid spreading of this bug. We are used to Influenza type B. which is the only vaccine we have at the time. This is Influenza type A the kind associated with Bird flu. which mutates at 2-3 times more rapidly than type B. Which is going to make it very difficult to find an effective vaccine. The only influenza we have built up immunity to is type B.

I don't mean to ramble, but if you go back and read my post 2directly above yours, It may give you a little more insight.



[edit on 30-4-2009 by paxnatus]