Swine Flu news and updates thread

Summary of the current situation

Up to 14 May 2009, 7.479 confirmed cases of the new virus influenza A (H1N1) infection, including 69 deaths, have been notified in 11 countries of the Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and the United States. The date of the onset of symptoms of the first confirmed case was 28 March 2009 in the United States.

WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

Individuals who are ill should delay travel plans and returning travelers who fall ill should seek appropriate medical care.

These recommendations are prudent measures which can limit the spread of many communicable diseases, including Influenza.

Confirmed cases from other Regions: 249
No. of Countries affected: 22

As of 06:00 GMT, 14 May 2009, the following countries, from other Regions, have officially reported at WHO confirmed cases with no deaths: Australia (1), Austria (1), China (4), Denmark (1), Finland (2), France (14), Germany (12), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (9), Japan (4), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (7), Norway (2), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (100), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1), Thailand (2), and the United Kingdom (71).

Swine flu resurgent in parts of United States
www.breakingtweets.com...

Update: De Pere reports 7th swine flu case
www.greenbaypressgazette.com...

Tough choices on table as experts meet to advise WHO on swine flu vaccine
2 hours ago
www.google.com...

[edit on 5/14/2009 by Hx3_1963]

The swine flu confirmed cases in Georgia has jumped from 8 to 36 in the last 24 hours.

stuff.co.nz

The number of confirmed swine flu cases in New Zealand has risen by two.

Laboratory tests confirmed two cases, previously classed as probable, were swine flu, bringing New Zealand's total number of confirmed cases to nine, the Ministry of Health said today.

The two cases included an Auckland college student who had returned from Mexico and another passenger from the same flight.

The confirmation of the two brings the total number of probable cases down to 10. All the people with confirmed cases, including the two today, and probable cases had been treated and had fully recovered, the ministry said.

Forty others, one fewer than yesterday, were classed as having a suspected case of the flu.

There were still nine people in isolation and being treated with Tamiflu, the ministry said.

The number of people in isolation peaked above 400, and has been steadily dropping as people complete 72 hours of the five-day course of Tamiflu.

The swine flu alert was first sparked in New Zealand when the party of Auckland college students returned from Mexico via Los Angeles on April 25.

When I first heard about this...it really pissed me off...at least someone in the government is pissed too!

Homeland Security Undersecretary for Management Elaine C. Duke told members of a House subcommittee Thursday afternoon that DHS based its decisions on the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government agencies coordinating the federal government’s swine flu response.

Duke admitted that some Customs and Border Protection supervisors at U.S.-Mexico border crossings did not permit CBP officers to wear masks while screening travelers. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano made the ultimate decision on protective masks, Duke said.

“Your excuses are lame when you say you’re following the medical advice,” subcommittee chairman Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.) told Duke.

“If I’ve got to legislate that they have the right wear masks to protect themselves, their family and their communities, that’s what I’ll do. But I shouldn’t have to blow up the bureaucracy to get something done,” he said.

link

In the Queens schools Newsday reports that "At IS 238 - the school with the critically ill assistant principal - more than 50 students have been sent home with flulike symptoms since May 6, according to the city health department. Four students, as well as the assistant principal, have been confirmed as having H1N1."

however in the next paragraph a parent notes (from the same school btw) that "her son who is a seventh-grader at IS 238, came home with a fever Wednesday night. He was also nauseous and had a headache, she said. She said she took him to the doctor Thursday, who told her it was the "regular flu."

how many other parents of students will hear that and their children will not be tested for H1N1 thus skewing the number of infected people even more- and that is just one of the 3 schools that have closed -

here is a link to that article - but I included the quotes because I am not sure if you have to have a subscription to read Newsday online. Newsday article

A couple of observations from Thursday's WHO press conference...

WHO will now suspend press conferences for 7 days due to their scheduled conference with international representatives.

What great timing. Just as things begin to get more dramatic in New York and elsewhere... just when we are probably, technically in unacknowledged Level 6 right now... just as we are getting the long timeline intel and it corresponding with events unfolding at this moment...

the WHO itself became part of the media blackout. Obviously, TPTB do not want us to get updates during the next 7 days. Speaks for itself or you can interpret the meaning of that for yourselves. So, no more uncomfortable backpedaling, smoothing over, cred trashing of a scientist who submitted a peer review type formal paper that put forward evidence of lab origin. No more whitewashing. No more awkward moments for Dr. Fukuda because there will be no press conferences for the next 7 days.

Point 2 that was irksome in Thursday's WHO press conference...

South America being connected by a strip of land to North America is not a separate region therefore if untraceable, sustained community spread is proven in South America it doesn't count towards going to Level 6.

O.K., so look at a globe. South America is not a different region from North America? It's a whole different continent.

That, I thought, was Dr. Fukuda really stretching credulity. C'mon, don't tell me South America is part of North America. These are two, very distinct regions. You're insulting our intelligence, Dr. Fukuda.

Reuters reporting death in Phoenix due to "underlying conditions"...

www.reuters.com...

Others posted earlier on this thread that "underlying conditions" seems to be the current propaganda buzz phrase. I agree. It's obvious.

Either they are only reporting deaths that meet their criteria of "underlying conditions" so that the assertion is actually based on fact (in order to sync with their current propaganda buzz phrase "underlying conditions") or they are applying this phrase liberally (not knowing the full details) until proven otherwise (same motivation... to push the buzz phrase).

Propaganda words / phrases now being planted in most news stories..

mild... underlying conditions... pre-existing conditions... common seasonal flu or normal flu... flare-up...

MSNBC site carries a story that has just about all of the propaganda words and phrases gathered here in this one article...

www.msnbc.msn.com...

This is now on BBC website... Human noses too cold for bird flu

news.bbc.co.uk...

Interesting that they are talking about body temp and virus survivability in relation to body temperature. This subject was discussed thoroughly on ATS within the past week. We are scooping the major media on a lot of topics. Also interesting is how they managed to combine bird flu and Novel H1N1 in the same article as if to prepare the public for that combination or as they say, reassortment.

Queens middle school assistant principal is on a ventilator... also, quoting Mayor Bloomberg "It may very well be that a lot of people have it and the symptoms are so minor that they don’t even know it. That’s one of the things we’ll be studying.”

cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com...

"Underlying conditions" and friends will continue to be used for as long as possible in describing each and every flu death. If the victim actually had any type of condition prior to getting the flu does not matter.

The purpose of this is to create the belief that only people with existing diseases and health problems are dying from this "mild flu".

It's beyond evident that the goal is to keep the public "in the dark" on this for as long as possible.

Originally posted by switching yard
Reuters reporting death in Phoenix due to "underlying conditions"...

www.reuters.com...

Others posted earlier on this thread that "underlying conditions" seems to be the current propaganda buzz phrase. I agree. It's obvious.

Either they are only reporting deaths that meet their criteria of "underlying conditions" so that the assertion is actually based on fact (in order to sync with their current propaganda buzz phrase "underlying conditions") or they are applying this phrase liberally (not knowing the full details) until proven otherwise (same motivation... to push the buzz phrase).

Propaganda words / phrases now being planted in most news stories..

mild... underlying conditions... pre-existing conditions... common seasonal flu or normal flu... flare-up...

MSNBC site carries a story that has just about all of the propaganda words and phrases gathered here in this one article...

www.msnbc.msn.com...

This is now on BBC website... Human noses too cold for bird flu

news.bbc.co.uk...

Interesting that they are talking about body temp and virus survivability in relation to body temperature. This subject was discussed thoroughly on ATS within the past week. We are scooping the major media on a lot of topics. Also interesting is how they managed to combine bird flu and Novel H1N1 in the same article as if to prepare the public for that combination or as they say, reassortment.

Queens middle school assistant principal is on a ventilator... also, quoting Mayor Bloomberg "It may very well be that a lot of people have it and the symptoms are so minor that they don’t even know it. That’s one of the things we’ll be studying.”

cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com...

is it possible that the woman who is critically ill in New York has a mutated strain? Or even worse she has had a re-infection or 20 days down the line thing. Doesn't look good either way, pray for her health.

[edit on 15-5-2009 by jonny2410]

Originally posted by switching yard

WHO will now suspend press conferences for 7 days due to their scheduled conference with international representatives.

What great timing.

Yep, right in time for the Bilderberg meeting.

I think this post deserves a thread of its own, you should post it.

Originally posted by antmar....Auckland....

It's o.k. antmar, they're JAFA's!

I work at a University ( not Auckland) and I'm waiting for it to hit here. We have many International students and quite a few travel regularly, as do many of our research students.
Time will tell. Until then I'm holding my breath!

Originally posted by xstealth


Yep, right in time for the Bilderberg meeting.

Indeed... Athens Greece this year... Top of the agenda probably the American Union?
Anyway...
Has anyone been following the rise of Egyptian H5N1 cases in the last week?

The World Health Organization says a worrying number of 1,000 new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in just 24 hours. 3 minutes ago from web

WHO chief says too early to relax on H1N1 flu
Fri May 15, 2009 4:59am EDT
www.reuters.com...

Lyon County student tests positive for swine flu
www.rgj.com...

St. Johns County Confirms 2 H1N1 Cases
www.news4jax.com...

Georgia swine flu cases now at 8
www.americustimesrecorder.com...

Indonesian treated for suspected swine flu
newsinfo.inquirer.net...

Malaysia confirms first case of A(H1N1) flu (Update)
thestar.com.my

Four Hampton School pupils catch swine flu
www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk...

Are You Ready for the Other Great Swine Flu Hysteria of 2009?
gawker.com...

salviomari: My entire body hurts... did someone beat the crap out of me while I slept??!!! Swine Flu?? Not funny... gotta go to work regardless... 2 minutes ago from web

lyynz: H1N1 is still a trending topic? Hasn't the world exhausted all pig+flu joke possibilities? 4 minutes ago from web

sophieandlili: At airport waiting to board. Hoping not to fall from sky or get swine flu. Will be glad when on ground in Chicago! 2 minutes ago from TwitterFon :shk:

[edit on 5/15/2009 by Hx3_1963]

www.greatfallstribune.com...

4 Cases of Swine Flu Confirmed in Montana - Yellowstone County

Influenza A(H1N1) - update 29
www.who.int...

15 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 15 May 2009, 34 countries have officially reported 7520 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 2446 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 60 deaths. The United States has reported 4298 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths. Canada has reported 449 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Argentina (1), Australia (1), Austria (1), Belgium (1), Brazil (8), China (4), Colombia (10), Cuba (3), Denmark (1), El Salvador (4), Finland (2), France (14), Germany (12), Guatemala (3), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (9), Japan (4), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (7), Norway (2), Panama (40), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (100), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1), Thailand (2), and the United Kingdom (71).

I have a question:

If we go up to a level 6, will they close travel between states?

TIA

WHO Data - ACTUAL - As of 06:00 GMT, 15 May 2009

Date - Confirmed - Deaths - (Countries)

27/04 - 73 - 7 - (4)
28/04 - 105 - 7 - (7)
29/04 - 148 - 8 - (9)
30/04 - 257 - 8 - (11)
01/05 - 367 - 10 - (13)
02/05 - 658 - 17 - (16)
03/05 - 898 - 20 - (18)
04/05 - 1085 - 26 - (21)
05/05 - 1490 - 30 - (21)
06/05 - 1893 - 31 - (23)
07/05 - 2371 - 44 - (24)
08/05 - 2500 - 44 - (25)
09/05 - 3440 - 48 - (29)
10/05 - 4379 - 49 - (29)
11/05 - 4694 - 53 - (30)
12/05 - 5251 - 61 - (30)
13/05 - 5728 - 61 - (33)
14/05 - 6497 - 65 - (33)
15/05 - 7520 - 65 - (34)

An increase of 15.7% of confirmed cases since yesterday
An increase of 0% of deaths since yesterday.

An average 30.8% increase of confirmed cases each day
An average 14.4% increase of deaths each day


WHO - Influenza A(H1N1) - update 29

15 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 15 May 2009, 34 countries have officially reported 7520 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 2446 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 60 deaths.

The United States has reported 4298 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths.

Canada has reported 449 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Argentina (1), Australia (1), Austria (1), Belgium (1), Brazil (8), China (4), Colombia (10), Cuba (3), Denmark (1), El Salvador (4), Finland (2), France (14), Germany (12), Guatemala (3), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (9), Japan (4), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (7), Norway (2), Panama (40), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (100), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1), Thailand (2), and the United Kingdom (71).

WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the influenza A(H1N1) virus. Individuals who are ill should delay travel plans and returning travelers who fall ill should seek appropriate medical care. These recommendations are prudent measures which can limit the spread of many communicable diseases, including influenza. Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO web site on a regular basis.

@ ecoparity: lots of updated cases that aren't showing up in all my twitter feeds...Hmmm...
maps.google.co.uk...

Also FluTracker has a comments section that seems to be picking up steam...might want to go through that for clues
flutracker.disqus.com...

Here's a good RSS feed that links to FluTracker...
feeds2.feedburner.com...

FluTracker is showing 11,225 combined cases for NA

[edit on 5/15/2009 by Hx3_1963]

Originally posted by aorAki

Originally posted by antmar....Auckland....

It's o.k. antmar, they're JAFA's!

I work at a University ( not Auckland) and I'm waiting for it to hit here. We have many International students and quite a few travel regularly, as do many of our research students.
Time will tell. Until then I'm holding my breath!

Jafas...hmmffft! I've NEVER heard of such a term!

Very very true about our large number if international students coming here to study.
But what I think is more of an influencing factor is how us NZers are so overly touchy-feely. We hug, kiss, hongi etc ALL the time. Our teenagers and young adults are particularly affectionate with each other. Should any type of pandemic hit our shores our affectionate culture may turn to bite us in the hiney me thinks...

edited to correct spelling.

Ant

[edit on 15/5/09 by antmar]