Swine Flu news and updates thread

Swine flu outbreak reveals military plans, gaps

The rapid spread of swine flu from Mexico surprised Pentagon officials, who had been focused on a possible Asian-borne pandemic in a response plan that would give the military a last-resort role in helping to impose quarantines and border restrictions.

Drafted and overhauled several times in recent years, the military's closely guarded plan for an influenza pandemic assumed that officials would have more time before the flu hit U.S. shores. The Associated Press obtained briefing documents about the military's pandemic contingency plan.

The H1N1 flu outbreak set U.S. military commanders scrambling to monitor and protect troops based near the 2,000-mile southern border and on ships nearby.

news.yahoo.com...

This is pretty big news and stuff gets buried quick in this thread with the amount of info being posted so I started a separate thread for this article. It can be found here: www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 20-5-2009 by ZombieSlayer]

reply to post by Chevalerous


Actually, Australia enacted emergency legislation weeks ago enabling them to quarantine people. They set up scanners at the airport almost immediately, chased everyone down who was on flights with possibly infected people, and told Aussies when the Alert hit 5, to get 2 weeks worth of supplies.

Australia has some of the strictest quarantine laws in the world, we've managed to keep rabies out and I think Australia is far better prepared than here in Canada (where I'm visiting).

[edit on 20-5-2009 by phoenixs1]

Swine Flu Forces More Japan School Closures; Vaccine to Be Made

May 20 (Bloomberg) -- The deepening swine flu outbreak led Japan’s government to shut more than 4,000 schools and spurred the World Health Organization to urge drugmakers such as Sanofi- Aventis SA and GlaxoSmithKline Plc to start preparing a vaccine.

The spread in Japan of swine flu may prompt the WHO to declare a pandemic, according to Hitoshi O#ani, former head of the agency’s Western Pacific region. Japan said its case total jumped to 188 from 4 less than two weeks ago, and Taiwan today reported its first patient infected with the virus known as H1N1, which has sickened about 10,000 people in 40 countries.

“The WHO will have to take the Japanese cases into consideration when deciding whether to raise the pandemic alert,” O#ani said in a May 18 interview. “Japan is definitely having human-to-human transmission.”

www.bloomberg.com...

Yeah! This must mean a level 6 according to the WHO criteria and definitions.

But as we all know, the economy goes before everything and they don't want the uninformed sheeple to panic, right?

So I guess we'll see a level 5.5 from WHO today - that's a level 6 light - the new über great definition made by Yzzie?. (Sorry darling! - If I got your name wrong)

Two More Maryland Swine Flu Cases Reported, 13 hours ago. (Better late than never?)

BALTIMORE (Map, News) -
Maryland health officials say two more swine flu cases have been confirmed, bringing the state's total to 35.

Examiner Reader said:
As of today, there are news stories out that the first US citizen who died of swine flu did not have any prior health issues, her husband is saying. Also, a NY toddler just died of a suspected case, as well as a man in St. Louis who was a confirmed case of swine flu before death. Something alarming from that article: “It’s an unusual case in what otherwise appeared to be a healthy individual,” said St. Louis County health director, Dr. Dolores Gunn. Perhaps there is more to this.

reply to post by phoenixs1


That's great to hear!

But you could (if things get worse! - God forbid!) theoretically be stucked in Canada if the air traffic is grounded because of the flu right?

I was just thinking about this scenario, because my mother is in Thailand to the middle of June.


[edit on 20-5-2009 by Chevalerous]

reply to post by Chevalerous


I sure hope they don't close the border! I think I've already had it, but wish I knew for sure, as flying is worrying me, as is going back to somewhere where it is probably going to start spreading now. I'd happily go into quarantine on my return if I had to, but hopefully they'll allow citizens to come home!

ETA...your mom is lucky....I love Thailand....great place to visit.


[edit on 20-5-2009 by phoenixs1]

I have today's update but I'm going to hold off on posting it until later in the day. There's too much going on currently with members of the thread who are dealing with infected loved ones and they don't need anything right now other than our support and best wishes. It's going to be a long night for some of them.

I'm going to take my Tamiflu and try to get some sleep. Watch for this next update though, it's going to be a major one.

reply to post by ecoparity


That's not cool to give us a teaser. If you have relevant info you should post it now instead of keeping us waiting, especially if this update is as major as you say it is.

Have a good sleep ecoparity. I know I won't cause I'll be wondering what this major update is It's 4am in my neck of the woods so I'm over and out.

peace

More scaremongering? www.telegraph.co.uk...

Swine flu combined with superbug could kill thousands
A deadly strain of superbug MRSA could kill thousands if coupled with swine flu, experts have warned.


By Alastair Jamieson
Last Updated: 9:46AM BST 20 May 2009

The drug-resistant infection triggers a form of pneumonia in those weakened by viruses such as swine flu and kills half its victims in under 72 hours.

A report in health journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases said the infection could raise the death risk among potential swine flu victims. It can live in the nose or throat and pose no danger – but if the carrier is weakened by a virus like flu it can cause the lung condition.


Epidemics expert Professor Mark Enright, of London's Imperial College, told The Sun: "CA-MRSA pneumonia is particularly dangerous due to the aggressive nature of the infection and the difficulty in treatment."

Dr Alicia Hidron of Emory University in Atlanta, said that, unlike many other forms of the superbug, CA-MRSA hits the young rather than the old and frail. In one case, a previously healthy 45-year-old woman spread it to her 36-year-old male partner.

Infections expert Professor Richard James, of the University of Nottingham, told the newspaper: "The threat from CA-MRSA in the US is a very serious concern, especially if there is an epidemic. It could trigger a large number of cases of necrotizing pneumonia, which has a mortality rate of 50 per cent in 72 hours."

In all, more than 100 swine flu cases have so far been diagnosed in the UK. At least 70 have died worldwide.

More on this...

www.thesun.co.uk...

news.bbc.co.uk...


That does sound plausible and horrible especially with the hugely increased death rate.

The drug-resistant infection triggers a form of pneumonia in those weakened by viruses such as swine flu and kills half its victims in under 72 hours.

[edit on 20-5-2009 by tarifa37]

I live in quite an isolated area in Wales and have just been to my local town shopping! The amount of people coughing and sneezing was unbelievable and when i spoke to the local shop keeper who had symptoms she told me that she couldn't stop being sick!

Combined with the Measles outbreak here at the moment its getting quite scary now!

news.bbc.co.uk...

EGYPT: Anti-bird, swine flu measures affecting livelihoods

CAIRO, 20 May 2009 (IRIN) - The death of a four-year-old girl on 18 May after she contracted the H5N1 avian flu virus brings the total number of bird flu deaths in Egypt to 27 at a time when the government is also grappling with the threat of the A(H1N1) virus, commonly known as swine flu.

“We haven’t found any [bird flu] cases of human to human transmission,” said Hussein Gezairi, regional director for the East Mediterranean World Health Organization (WHO) operation. “All cases have had direct contact with birds, although some deny it, because mothers want to keep raising birds at home.”

www.irinnews.org...

I'm keeping my eyes open on reports from Egypt because of the H5N1 bird-flu there, at the borders of EU.

All cases have had direct contacts with birds - so don't pet any fluffy birds if you go to Egypt!

reply to post by tarifa37


That is scary

Its not like the MSM to report something as serious as this!
news.bbc.co.uk...

[edit on 20/5/09 by parrallel]

Swine flu cases surge past 10,000

GENEVA (AFP) — The global swine flu caseload surged past the 10,000 mark on Wednesday with the crisis escalating in Asia despite stringent efforts to contain the virus

The number of confirmed swine flu cases now stands at 10,243 in 40 different countries, said a spokeswoman for the World Health Organisation. The number of dead stands at 80, spokeswoman Fadela Chaib added.

"There is an increase of 413 cases in the past 24 hours," she said.

Much of the increase came from the United States, where authorities raised their number of cases by 346 to 5,469 cases in 47 states plus Washington's District of Columbia.

The number of confirmed A(H1N1) infections in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak, rose by almost 100 in 24 hours to 3,660, health authorities said as they also announced four new deaths. Local officials say 76 people have died in Mexico, although not all of these deaths have been registered by the WHO.

Well I don't know what to believe of the official numbers from the Mexican Authorities or WHO anymore?



[edit on 20-5-2009 by Chevalerous]

Egypt warns of swine flu threat to Mecca pilgrims - Health minister says there is large possibility A(H1N1) virus may reach Egypt with returning pilgrims

CAIRO - Egyptian Health Minister Hatem al-Gabali warned in a newspaper interview on Wednesday of the dangers posed by swine flu to millions of Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia.

The minister said the government could not bar Egyptian pilgrims from travelling because the decision had to be made by Muslim clerics, but that the authorities could quarantine returning pilgrims.

Gabali told the independent daily Al-Masri Al-Yom that "there is a large possibility" the A(H1N1) virus, which has killed 80 people and infected roughly 10,000 in 39 countries, may reach Egypt with returning pilgrims

Egypt, which is culling the country's 250,000 pigs, has not recorded any cases of infection so far.

Gabali said he could not bar Egypt's estimated 600,000 pilgrims from travelling as such a decision was up to clerics, but that he could "open quarantines and say: no one will return from Saudi Arabia to his home."

www.middle-east-online.com...

Yes! this is a big event in Mecca, with people flying in from all over the world!

I hope everythings goes well with the 600.000 pilgrims from egypt and the rest of the millions of pilgrims in Mecca.

Have anyone seen this event on TV? that's a lot of people mingeling close together!

[edit on 20-5-2009 by Chevalerous]

Good Day All...I hope...here's the start of what I got over the last 8 Hrs...

Michigan: 13 Additional Cases of Influenza A (H1N1) Confirmed; 170 Cases Confirmed Statewide: Date: May 19, 2009 22:17 UTC Risk: Low ..about 11 hours ago from twitterfeed

# ( Unk. Regions ) New Mexico, USA: 5 Confirmed cases Source: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf ) Date: 19 May 200915 minutes ago from twitterfeed

# Taos City, New Mexico, USA: 1 Confirmed cases Source: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf ) Date: 19 May 200915 minutes ago from twitterfeed

# Socorro City, New Mexico, USA: 7 Confirmed cases Source: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf ) Date: 19 May 200915 minutes ago from twitterfeed

# Sierra County, New Mexico, USA: 8 Confirmed cases Source: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf ) Date: 19 May 200915 minutes ago from twitterfeed

# Santa Fe City, New Mexico, USA: 2 Confirmed cases Source: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf ) Date: 19 May 200915 minutes ago from twitterfeed

# Eddy County, New Mexico, :about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Donna Anna County, New Mexico, USA: 5 Confirmed cases Source: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf ) Date: 19 May 2009about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Curry County, New Mexico, USA: 1 Confirmed cases Source: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf ) Date: 19 May 2009about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Bernalillo City, New Mexico: 14 Confirmed casesSource: New Mexico, Department of Health ( pdf )Date: 19 May 2009about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Monroe city, Michigan, USA: 1 confirmed caseSource: Michigan Department of healthDate: 19 May 2009, 09:00 GMTabout 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Berrien county, Michigan, USA: 1 confirmed caseSource: Michigan Department of healthDate: 19 May 2009, 09:00 GMTabout 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Bay City, Michigan, USA: 1 confirmed caseSource: Michigan Department of healthDate: 19 May 2009, 09:00 GMTabout 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Gila River, Pinal county, Arizona, USA: 1 confirmed dead The second swine flu death has been confirmed that of a 57-year-old woman residen.. about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# New South Wales, Australia: 1 confirmed caseHealth officials have confirmed the first case of swine flu in New South Wales. The state's H..about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: 1 Confirmed caseThe Clifton Hill boy tested positive to swine flu after returning from a trip to Disneyla..about 1 hour ago from twitterfeed

# ( Conf. Summary ) UK: Total confirmed cases in UK - 105 The cases are spread over UK. Source: UK Department of HealthDate: 19 May 2009, 1..about 2 hours ago from twitterfeed

# ( Conf. and Prob. cases ) France: Total confirmed cases in France - 162 cases unknow regionsTotal probable cases in France - 4Total cases..about 3 hours ago from twitterfeed

# Arecuipa, Peru: 1 confirmed caseSource: Pan American Health OrganisationDate: May 19 2009about 3 hours ago from twitterfeed

# Michoacan, Mexico: 2 confirmed death.Source: Mexican Ministry of Health (Spanish pdf file with map) Date: 19 May 2009about 9 hours ago from twitterfeed

And...

Swine flu did not kill baby Jonathan Zamora; real cause of death unknown
www.nydailynews.com...

NYC: Tests indicate no swine flu in dead toddler
www.kansascity.com...

Swine flu testing leads to more staffing at New York public health lab
www.nydailynews.com...

City keeps close eye on swine flu's path
www.torontosun.com...

Japan Commentary: From 16 to 228 In Four Days
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com...

Flu cases rise to more than 200 in west Japan
www.reuters.com...

Australia records four cases of H1N1 in one day
www.reuters.com...

Vietnam reports another A/H1N1 suspected case
2009-05-20 11:43:27
pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com...

Taiwan reports confirmed case of A/H1N1 influenza
2009-05-20 11:03:34
pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com...

Taiwan issues phase 2 warning after 1st swine flu case confirmed
www.chinapost.com.tw...

Chinese reports 4th confirmed case of A/H1N1 influenza
2009-05-19 11:08:10
pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com...

Pandemic alert level remains at phase 5, says WHO chief
2009-05-20 01:36:32
pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com...

Expert: Bird flu still a threat
2009/05/20
pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com...

Lot's Asian/Middle East Updates...
FACTBOX-Asia puts up fight as H1N1 makes inroads
www.reuters.com...

[edit on 5/20/2009 by Hx3_1963]

This may help somebody who's having trouble sleeping due to their cold, flu, or bronchitis. I discovered when I had acute bronchitis a few months ago that if I put two bolsters in an upside down V-shape at the head of my bed, and wrapped my arms around them, with my forehead pressed into the top of the V, I could breathe better and get some sleep.

And...

Influenza A(H1N1) - update 34
www.who.int...

20 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 20 May 2009, 41 countries have officially reported 10 243 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 80 deaths.

The breakdown of the number of laboratory-confirmed cases by country is given in the following table and map.
www.who.int...

Arizona reports 2nd death tied to swine flu
www.azcentral.com...

Swine Flu in Osaka, the situation and facts
livinginosaka.net...

Victoria, NSW confirm swine flu cases
www.abc.net.au...

Swine flu plan scaled back as threat recedes
crazydutchinhk.com...

# The number of infected people with the A/H1N1 flu in Chile has risen to 10 #swineflu #h1n1about 3 hours ago from web

Mexican inmates riot over swine flu visit limits
www.google.com...

# Lake County notches highest flu rate in Indiana #swineflu #h1n1about 3 hours ago from web

# Global H1N1 flu tally over 10200, says European health agency #swineflu #h1n1about 3 hours ago from web

# Kentucky has now reported 15 confirmed cases of H1N1 #swineflu #h1n1about 3 hours ago from web

# Alabama health officials have confirmed 55 cases of swine flu in the state and say six others are probable #swineflu #h1n1about 3 hours ago from web

# ECDC reports no sustained community transmission is currently reported and the priority for Europe remains containment #swineflu #h1n1about 4 hours ago from web

# ECDC report outside EU and EFTA countries, a total of 9939 cases are currently reported, including 80 deaths #swineflu #h1n1about 4 hours ago from web

# ECDC report cases in EU and EFTA countries reach a total of 276 confirmed cases reported from 17 countries #swineflu #h1n1about 4 hours ago from web

# ECDC report rapid increase of cases reported from Japan, mainly linked to school outbreaks #swineflu #h1n1about 4 hours ago from web

# ECDC report 11 more cases reported from EU and EFTA countries #swineflu #h1n1about 4 hours ago from web

# Japan reporting swine flu cases have climbed to 232 #swineflu #h1n1about 4 hours ago from web

# Chinese animal health officials on May 17 reported an H5N1 avian flu outbreak in wild birds in Qinghai province #swineflu #h1n1 #h5n1about 5 hours ago from web

# Panamanian authorities reported 6 new cases of swine flu, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 65. #swineflu #h1n1about 5 hours ago from web

# The Ministry of Health has reported the fourth A(H1N1) case in the Chinese mainland on Tuesday #swineflu #h1n1about 5 hours ago from web

# Reuters reporting Missouri reports man's death from swine flu #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# Taiwan on Wednesday reported its first case of H1N1 flu case, a foreign national who entered Taiwan from the United States #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# Drug manufacturers won't be able to start making a swine flu vaccine until mid-July at the earliest #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# Australian health authorities confirmed two more cases of swine flu Wednesday #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# AFP reporting swine flu infections in Japan rose to 228 Wednesday, most of them school students #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# Eleven new cases of A/H1N1 flu are confirmed on Tuesday in Oklahoma, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases to 43 #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# Colombian government announced Tuesday that confirmed cases of swine flu h1n1 virus in the country have risen to 12 #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# Animal health officials in China on May 17 reported an H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in wild birds in Qinghai province #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

# Honolulu elementary school now has 14 swine flu cases #swineflu #h1n1about 7 hours ago from web

[edit on 5/20/2009 by Hx3_1963]

reply to post by ecoparity


Ecoparity, I know you are very sick. Please read my new thread about a possible "device" that you can use to reduce your symptoms, or maybe even cure your condition:

Possible Ad-Hoc Cure for H1N1

I hope you get better soon. Do anything you can to stay healthy.

Here's a real nice link on H1N1 going back to Nov 2008

NaTHNaC Outbreak Report: Outbreaks of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) - Confirmed between 20 November 2008 and 20 May 2009
Report date: 20 May 2009
www.nathnac.org...
www.nathnac.org...

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
Cases of H1N1 Flu Virus in Canada
www.phac-aspc.gc.ca...

# Some of the data in WHO 34 have still not been updated. Mexico is 2days old, Canada is 6days old #swineflu #h1n115 minutes ago from web

# 51 cases reported in Japan, total cases there are 210 potentially making it more likely WHO will declare a full pandemic #swineflu #h1n11 minute ago from web

# WHO data has CDC's announced numbers from yesterday, USA cases at 5469. #swineflu #h1n13 minutes ago from web

# Swine flu CFR is stabilising around 0.8% or x4 the death rates of the pandemics of 1957 and '68 #swineflu #h1n16 minutes ago from web

Udine, Italy: 1 confirmed case Source: Rainews24 Date: 12:04:55 Wednesday May 20, 2009 in GMT16 minutes ago from twitterfeed

Taiwan: First Influenza A (H1N1) Case Confirmed in 52-Year-Old Foreigner: Date: May 20, 2009 11:46 UTC Risk: Low Multiple national an..2 minutes ago from twitterfeed

As swine flu keeps causing panic, when will Mayor Bloomberg close the schools?
Wednesday, May 20th 2009, 5:55 AM
n ydailynews.com

Two more people have been confirmed with swine flu in Cambridgeshire, health officials have said.
news.bbc.co.uk...

Six in Wales in swine flu probe
news.bbc.co.uk...

Berrien confirms its first case of swine flu
www.southbendtribune.com.../20090520/News01/905200356/1130

DePaul says student has swine flu
www.chicagotribune.com...

[edit on 5/20/2009 by Hx3_1963]