Swine Flu news and updates thread

MILWAUKEE (AP) - A hundred cases of swine flu in the U.S.? Health officials say there are likely more. Just how many is not important, they say. As the world faces a potential pandemic, swamped labs are not testing all possible cases. Getting an exact tally has taken a back seat to finding new outbreak hot spots or ways to limits its spread, health officials said. "The specimens are coming in faster than they can possibly be tested," said Dr. Jeffrey P. Davis, state epidemiologist in Wisconsin, where a lab helped spot the nation's first known case, in a 10-year-old boy from San Diego. New York, which has more cases than any other U.S. location, also has had to limit the samples it tests, said Dr. Don Weiss of that city's health department. "Sure, we'd want to diagnose every case, but we don't have that resource," he said. Instead of trying to confirm every sign of the virus, "we're focused on where else is it going and how do we prevent it."

apnews.myway.com...

very interesting

Question is how many they can analyse in one hour compared to the numberof samples they get...


[edit on 30-4-2009 by 13Etznab]

Originally posted by Hx3_1963
reply to post by PrisonerOfSociety

 

Notice that news out of mexico is pretty sparse today???

Earlier there was some...their lock down has brought news to a halt it appears...and canada made a announcement earlier that they were going to .gov flu announcements as well...Hmmm...

Yes; perhaps convenient as sheeple become more aware towards the weekend, they are dumbingv down info, or perhaps we are looking too much into the rabbit hole

Watching the news in UK today, they did 5 minute opening segments on piggy/swine/influenza A(H1N1)/(whatever they call it, i might start calling it 'John', it's easier on my head) and then the remaining 25 minutes was about MP's expenses and it might be a nice summer this time around.

I think we all need to do guerilla blogging. Get webcams out there on interstates, hidden in trees and see how they start deploying troops, ahead of announcements. That is definitely why they are paving the way for the calm before the storm.

reply to post by iggster

Originally posted by iggster
It looks like HX3 was quicker on the draw then me. Sorry all. Now I am starting to get a lil nervous as I do have 3 children ages 4 , 8 and 11. I worry for them.

teach them to properly wash their hands. 20-30 seconds of rubbing is very important, more then soap almost and also try to get them to not touch their eyes, nose , or mouth.

its very hard to do the last part but if they can keep their hands clean , it helps alot i guess.

antibacterial lotion is also a good thing to get kids in the habbit of using at this time.

stay strong yourself, physically and mentally. maybe the best thing you can do for your children.

More news from my my University!
I feel like they know something we don't.

Yesterday, April 29, the World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to phase 5. This is the signal to increase preparedness for more wide-spread infections. WHO continues to see an increase in cases and that is to be expected at this point. However, it is important to remember some basics to protect yourself and others.

About the flu: This flu strain is different from the type that circulated around the country this winter. The vaccine distributed in winter is not believed to address this strain, and Miami's vaccine supply had been exhausted during the winter season. The H1N1 strain is being carefully monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health officials.

The protective measures recommended for all types of influenza are similarly important for this type: frequent hand washing, covering a cough, and avoiding others with symptoms. Symptoms of the swine flu are also similar to other influenza types: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. Some people also report diarrhea and vomiting.

The methods of detection, including those used at Miami's student health service, are capable of identifying influenza of all types. It is important to note that this flu strain responds to common anti-flu medications, such as Tamiflu and Relenza. 

The time from being exposed to the swine flu and developing symptoms (the incubation period) is 1 to 10 days. Anyone who traveled to Mexico for spring break is past the time when he or she would have become ill.

If a Miami student becomes ill, please go to the health service
 center to be evaluated.

If a case occurs outside campus, and Miami faculty or staff are potentially exposed to it (such as through your child's school), please follow the preventive measures of frequent hand washing, covering a cough, and avoiding others with symptoms.

If you or any family member have symptoms of flu, please see your doctor and follow his/her guidelines for treatment, and stay home until your doctor advises you that risk of contagion is gone or until you are free of symptoms. (Usually this will be about 7 days or so.) We are asking all employees to assist us in case of a flu outbreak by staying home during the time during which they are contagious. To repeat, symptoms of the swine flu are similar to other influenza types: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. Some people also report diarrhea and vomiting. The Center for Disease Control Web site has information on how to protect your family from infection, as well as how to prepare for illness should it occur.

In the coming weeks you may see police or rescue personnel wearing masks, and if you are in contact with them, they may offer you a mask. This is merely a preventive measure for emergency personnel who come in contact with numerous people per day. It does not indicate the disease has been identified here.

Regarding travel to Mexico in the near future, Monday, April 27, the CDC issued a recommendation that U.S. travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico.

For updated information, you may contact the Student Health Service

reply to post by PrisonerOfSociety

Originally posted by PrisonerOfSociety

I think we all need to do guerilla blogging. Get webcams out there on interstates, hidden in trees and see how they start deploying troops, ahead of announcements. That is definitely why they are paving the way for the calm before the storm.

if what u are getting at is true and they are going to declare national emergency and martial law, they will shut the whole internet down if we take such actions.
its how our military works. attack the eyes and ears and communication systems first.

OK, I've got a field report from the CDC confirmed case in Georgia. I'm from LaGrange and still live near their. I was in LaGrange today for a family dinner, and drove by the hospital. The Atlanta news stations were set up across the street broadcasting for the evening news. I think I've already seen a link to one of the Atlanta stations, but here is the hometown newspaper report.

LaGrange Daily News

I stopped by both a locally owned and national chain pharmacy near the place where the Flu victim is being treated. Both were out of hand sanitizer and masks. I can confirm that some but by no means most or all staff outside of the ICU at the hospital are wearing masks even though they are not near the patient. Also as I drove by the hospital doing that timeless Georgia tradition of "rubbernecking" I noticed that the guys across the street who run a car wash/detailing business were outside washing cars while in surgical masks. There didn't seem to be any extra security or police presence than normal though there was a deputy sheriff car at the ER. That is actually pretty normal.

As I am writing this I just heard from my brother that there are 2 more suspected cases in Carollton Georgia about 40 miles north of LaGrange. He saw it on the Atlanta Fox station.

I do have some connections in La Grange and will be making some calls and talking to some folks this weekend and see what I can learn about any info, briefings, and agencies in town.

[edit on 30-4-2009 by jefwane]

Originally posted by liveandlearn
reply to post by paxnatus

 

The only flu epidemics we have experienced are Influenza B strains. This is also the only type of flu we have immunity to due to years of flu injections, or having influenza.

I beg to question this. 1957 was A flu as was 1918 [tho it may have been a mix] and most flu strains that infect humans are avian.
link

Last years flu vaccine had 2 A flu strains and 1 B strain. There is an A strain in the vaccine every year.

I am just quoting fact. I don't take the vaccine myself.

I miss spoke myself and I apologize. You are right the flu vaccine is compiled of both A and B strains.

While you do have human Influenza type A, most flu strains that infect humans IS Not Avian. Avian flu is not easily transferred to humans. It first must go through several mutations to jump species. Humans have zero immunity to animal genes Bird flu resides deep in the lung. You most likely are not going to come down with bird flu from being around someone who has it.

There is no evidence of efficient human-to-human transmission or of airborne transmission of HPAI A(H5N1) to humans. In almost all cases, those infected with H5N1 had extensive physical contact with infected birds. Still, around 60% of humans known to have been infected with the current Asian strain of HPAI A(H5N1) have died from it, and H5N1 may mutate or reassort into a strain capable of efficient human-to-human transmission.[45][46][47][48][49][50][51]

The immunity we have to past influenza is irrelevant.

1957 and the Hong Kong Flu in 1968.[1]

Influenza pandemics occur when a new strain of the influenza virus is transmitted to humans from another animal species. Species that are thought to be important in the emergence of new human strains are pigs, chickens and ducks. These novel strains are unaffected by any immunity people may have to older strains of human influenza and can therefore spread extremely rapidly and infect very large numbers of people.
link[
This is a new flu strain.

Influenza viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian, human and swine viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can swap genes (“reassort”) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. The recent outbreak of swine flu in April 2009 referred to as H1N1, is caused by a new virus containing a mixture of virus genes never seen before. Unlike typical swine flu, the new virus can spread from person-to-person.

I’ve already had my flu shot (vaccine) – am I protected? This H1N1 swine flu is a new form of virus and the vaccine will not protect you, although the vaccine is still highly recommended since it will help prevent the common flu. If you are infected with this new swine flu virus, there are drugs that are effective in treating the illness.

What is pandemic influenza? Pandemic influenza (pandemic flu) is a worldwide outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a new flu virus that people have not been exposed to before. Because our bodies would have no resistance to this new virus, it could spread quickly from person-to-person and cause serious illness. What causes pandemic flu viruses? Flu viruses have the ability to change,and any flu virus can mutate into a new form.These new viruses can infect people,spread rapidly from person-to-person and cause serious illness. The flu vaccines currently used by the medical community will not be effective in preventing this new virus from causing illness. If the illness spreads around the world, a pandemic could result.

link[www.brookshires.com...]

reply to post by elitegamer23


I am airing on suspicion purely because it is a new, never before seen strain, where the reassortement is between the bird, pig AND human genetic profile.

The permutations to develop a vaccine therefore increases exponentially, along with the fact it may mutate due to cultural differences. A nurse (paxnatus) posted earlier that turmeric is very good for immune defence, so IF it hits india, the virus may mutate differently because their diets are largely curry based (hope that generalisation doesn't offend).

As sad as it sounds, i'm just waiting to see if and how many deaths will occur in USA to negate any further speculation. Info will be much more available then, as people will blog first hand experiences, thus omitting the convoluted middle-man crap from MSM.

This may be a repeat of East Coast news-

www.alertnet.org...

Originally posted by winotka
This may be a repeat of East Coast news-

www.alertnet.org...

I so appreciate the post. Thank you, I am in Virginia and was wondering how long before we saw the first case.

At what point do we take a step back, away from the hysteria and begin to reaLize that the media is totally over hyping this? We can continue to treat each and every new "suspected case," as this massive breaking new story or we can admit that this is really not that big of a story at the end of the day,

reply to post by Night Watchman


Right... coming from the guy who argued in another thread that it was a big deal and wasn't just hype. It's good to see you've come over to the reasonable side.

This is all BS and hype. As the WHO ups the alert level to 5, and possibly soon 6, you have to ask yourself, what's really going on here?

This is a huge freaking hyped hoax. People need to stop freaking out. The media is hyping this crap because it was SWEEPS week. I also suspect there is something more sinister going on (Martial Law), because they are pushing this hard.

Supposedly, at level 6, they can declare martial law and force vaccinations. The penalty for refusing a vaccination is $250,000 and/or a stint in jail.

Personally, I am disgusted by the media at this point. I haven't turned on the T.V. in 2 days, or visited a mainstream news site since yesterday.

[edit on 30-4-2009 by JipStix]

I don't know if this has anything to do with the flu outbreak but it was weird.

I was driving home in the last hour, after 9PM here, and see a truck pulled over with its hazard lights flashing and what looks like smoke billowing from it.

The road its on is a less traveled stretch of road near an old industrial area and small local airport. Since there is rarely much traffic through here I thought maybe I should stop, but when I got closer I could see the "smoke" was being dispersed by a machine.

He then turned off his hazards and begin to roll slowly forward until I was almost out of sight ahead of the truck and then it stopped again with hazards flashing.

It didn't look like the normal Mosquito trucks and the dispersal system was different. This thing was dispersing a huge amount of whatever it was straight up in the air. It had zero odor unlike like the Mosquito spray which can be smelled a mile away.

It creeped me out.


Edit: the local mosquito trucks have orange caution lights on their roofs. This truck did not have any lights on the roof.






[edit on 30/4/09 by MikeboydUS]

reply to post by paxnatus


No problem, we're hoping to see family from there in 3 weeks from the Hampton Roads area.

There's 3 probable cases in TN, my stomping ground.

reply to post by MikeboydUS


Mike that is one of the creepiest things I've heard. You sound like you know what the mosquito trucks look like. Anyone who has lived on the Gulf Coast or most of the Southeast has seen one. I know from past posts and conversations, you seem pretty solid and level. If it were coming from anyone less level, I'd take it with a grain of salt, but you seem pretty grounded. You didn't by chance get a pic of the truck did you? I'd love to see what it looks like and if anyone knows a legitimate purpose for it.

reply to post by jefwane


I didn't stop to take any picture.

Let me clarify I wouldn't have stopped either. It was too weird.

I can try to post the area though, using google earth.


maps.google.com...,+Shreveport,+Caddo,+Louisiana&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.546691,92.8125&ie=UTF8&cd=1 &geocode=FYKQ7wEdmgdp-g&split=0&ll=32.535182,-93.754857&spn=0.009769,0.022659&t=h&z=16


I can't seem to get the link to post. It was close to the Shreveport Downtown Airport though. That info should be able to take someone using google earth close to the area.




[edit on 30/4/09 by MikeboydUS]

reply to post by MikeboydUS

First let me make this clear i am not putting this up to encite any fear or panic!!!
did the machine look like anything like in this video at 6.40??

to winotka

your freinds or family from the hampton roads area..Wouldnt happen to be any of the Weiss'es would it??




Though this is a very real video,it sums up the seriousness of all the bad things in this world..I am praying this swine flu jaz is just a freek of nature with no serious effects now and long term..The current situation and the possibility of any one of the things in this video show that indeed in this day and age it shouldnt be considered nutty,tin hatty or whack lol to prepare in your own ways for the unknown..An ounce of preparedness is a ton when you need it the most..



[edit on 30-4-2009 by Redpillblues]

[edit on 30-4-2009 by Redpillblues]

reply to post by MikeboydUS


Hey Mike, just had an idea. I wouldn't know where to find a pic of such a device, but some water/sewer authorities use a machine to pump smoke into pipes to help find leaks and illegal hookups. Maybe it could have been something like that not owned by a municipality but subcontracted? Just an idea.

Back on topic, I got some pics of guys washing cars with surgical masks on across from that hospital in Georgia where a confirmed flu victim is being treated. Had to take it, it's not the best because it was from a Blackberry but still an interesting pic.

reply to post by paxnatus

Avian Influenza Viruses
Avian (bird) flu is caused by influenza A viruses that occur naturally among birds. There are different subtypes of these viruses because of changes in certain proteins (hemagglutinin [HA] and neuraminidase [NA]) on the surface of the influenza A virus and the way the proteins combine.
Each combination represents a different subtype. All known subtypes of influenza A viruses can be found in birds. The avian flu currently of concern is the H5N1 subtype.

"Human influenza virus" usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans. There are only four known A subtypes of influenza viruses (H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H7N2) currently circulating among humans. It is likely that some genetic parts of current human influenza A viruses originally came from birds. Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, and other strains might adapt over time to infect and spread among humans. The risk from avian influenza is generally low to most people, because the viruses do not usually infect humans. H5N1 is one of the few avian influenza viruses to have crossed the species barrier to infect humans, and it is the most deadly of those that have crossed the barrier.

pandemic flu.gov

While Avian viruses don't generally infect humans, the A viruses we have in circulation and causing flu is believed to be avian. I have read numerous studies on this in my work when there was concern for H5N1. All influenza A viruses have an avian origin. Influenza A is more virulent than B.

An effort to recreate the 1918 flu strain (a subtype of avian strain H1N1) was a collaboration among the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York; the effort resulted in the announcement (on October 5, 2005) that the group had successfully determined the virus's genetic sequence, using historic tissue samples recovered by pathologist Johan Hultin from a female flu victim buried in the Alaskan permafrost and samples preserved from American soldiers.

wikipedia


edit to say that while H1N1 has circulated before this is a totally different combination and may or may not be as virulent as 1918. And because it will likely mutate quickly only time will tell.

[edit on 30-4-2009 by liveandlearn]

reply to post by Redpillblues


The dispersal machine on the truck delivered a high volume of "fog" like the one in the video. It was straight up in the air though.