Deadly Swine Flu!

A potentially deadly new strain of the swine flu virus cropped up in more places in the United States and Mexico on Saturday, in what the World Health Organization called "a public health emergency of international concern."

The most recent reports Saturday afternoon were of two confirmed cases of the virus in Kansas bringing the number of confirmed U.S. cases to 11.

Those joined nine confirmed cases in Texas and California and an apparent outbreak at a private school in New York City, where officials say eight children likely have the virus.

By Saturday night, 81 deaths in Mexico were being called "likely linked" to the swine flu by health officials.

Dr. Jose A. Cordova Villalobos, Mexico's Secretary of Health, said 20 of the cases already have been confirmed as the swine flu.

President Felipe Calderon on Saturday issued an executive decree detailing emergency powers of the Ministry of Health, according to the president's office.

What's concerning about this is, first, that it's likely swine flu, second is that at this time it is spreading from person to person,

When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it a tougher strain that is harder to treat or fight off.

The infected people in Kansas are a man who had recently traveled to Mexico and his wife, officials said. Neither of them was hospitalized, said Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, director of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The United States had not issued any travel warnings or quarantines


this is a DEADLY virus! People PLZ take care of yourselves!

You forgot to mention that it has strains of human, and avian flu in there. Not just swine. I did see the article on yahoo.

More cases found in Minnesota as well, and one in London.
Another in California.
Death toll rose from 68 to 81 within last 24 hours.
1,300+ hospitalized since.
CDC is going to try to release the endangerment level of the disease tomorrow. Because it is an unknown form which includes swine/bird/human virus, they said they need to gather more information to determine the level.
Friday night it was said to be a 3 of 6.
I have a bad feeling about this one.

Think of all the illegals that are coming here to flee the swine flu. They are potential carriers and this is going to spread like wildfire starting with texas.

Originally Posted by KikasPet Itachi

Think of all the illegals that are coming here to flee the swine flu. They are potential carriers and this is going to spread like wildfire starting with texas.

No, the boarder has pretty much been on lockdown the last 15 hours or so. So at least we're okay there...minus the part its in like 5 states and England now.

Oh alright. isnt it funny the only time we need to lockdown our borders is when an epidemic is spreading?

Mexico City is basically on lockdown until May 6th.
I have a feeling there will definitely be a case found in MA within the next 48 hours.

Why is that?

If I start having dreams Im going to be pissed.

ok that was very inappropriate of me. So from what little I know about this, this Swine Flu has a mixture of a few different strands? How exactly does this happen?

One thing to keep in mind is that pretty much everyone in the U.S. that has gotten it has recovered form what I heard. I'd still lock down the school systems for a while though, until this thing is sorted out. Schools are the places where this kind of thing spreads fast.

By the way, anyone know what the symptoms are?

If it comes around here, my mom is going to get hit hard by it. She gets sick real easy. My sister is immune to just about everything these days, and I haven't been sick in years, so I feel like I should be fine (though, for all I know, my immune system could be horrible... I don't get out much at all). Just to be on the safe side, my mom's going to order some flu repellent.

ok that was very inappropriate of me. So from what little I know about this, this Swine Flu has a mixture of a few different strands? How exactly does this happen?

It has characteristics of avian flu, but it is a swine flu that has mutated to be able to pass from human to human, and is resistant to known vaccinations. Hopefully it's not multiply resistant. That would suck.

The only reason why it's spreading so fast in Mexico city is because it's a massive, dense bustling city. And it's being well controlled, which is good for us all.

EDIT: There is, upon copious investigation, no definitive proof that this flu can pass from person to person.

Update:

Swine Flu has been found in Israel.
2 more in France
10/22 have been confirmed in New Zealand.

EDIT:
London case confirmed NOT Swine Flu

Update as of Sunday, 9:28pm (EST) :
BULLETIN — DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DECLARES A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN THE UNITED STATES.
The CDC says the government should prepare for potential widespread school closures in the United States to battle swine flu.

deathtoll now at 92
11/22 students from New Zealand infected.
Flu found in Ohio, Canada, Columbia, Spain, Australia

The CDC says it fears there will be more swine flu cases in the US and says fatalities in the US are to be expected.

I've been lucky, since all I ever had were few minor headaches and stomach flues for the past several years. Hopefully it keeps up for me, because it's honestly freaking me out like that SARS epidemic we had years back.

And my mom works in the hospital, so here's to her safety.

But how is it spreading from just Mexico? Isn't that kind of impossible?

Lots of people go to Mexico and apparently it goes person to person now. Hopefully this thing is dealt with quick.

Yah this is kind of scary. I'm kind of glad there are no signs of it in Utah or Idaho, but lots of people come there from California.

BTW, what are the symptoms?

While 92 deaths is far from a good thing, it is worth keeping this sort of thing in perspective.

More people die every day in car crashes. More people (apparently, though I've never found a reliable source for this) die in vending-machine-related incidents every year.

Now, precautions should definitely be taken; all flu is potentially deadly, and this seems to be a particularly bad strain. As such, full marks to various government agencies for getting on top of this fast and setting up quarantines, anything to reduce the chances of a large outbreak is good.

That said, now is not the time to panic. It seems to be moving reasonably slowly through populations, and is being contained. Keep an eye out, but don't stay at home with the doors and windows locked.

19.5 million vaccines have been prepared for the US, including those 9 million for the military alone.


The spread is so bad because of how contagious it is. All it takes is simply one who is infected/a carrier to touch a doorknob, and you touch the same one. :/

Originally Posted by nighthawkx

http://www.crazymonkeygames.com/Pandemic-2.html

Am I an evil person for thinking of this game as soon as I heard of the Flue?


Honestly I am not that worried, their are a lot of speculative deaths but much less confirmed. Furthermore all the deaths seem to be in Mexico which, no offense, is not the healthiest country in the world. I am no planning on stopping my trip to SoCal, or change my life around to avoid this flu.

The spread is so bad because of how contagious it is. All it takes is simply one who is infected/a carrier to touch a doorknob, and you touch the same one. :/

Source?