Swine Flu news and updates thread

We will see in a few days if this is serious or not. It takes a few days for the virus to incubate. If there is not an exponential increase in cases then I would assume the virus will remain localized and otherwise pass like the normal flu.
We can hope.

Like another poster had mentioned, I think this may be something more concerning to less developed nations.

Shouldn't this topic and post remain top priority now? It should in my opinion.

It looks like this is the real thing. Probably the beginning of the end for many of us.

Here is another good site on the pandemic from the BBC:

news.bbc.co.uk...


[edit on 26-4-2009 by octaviameister]

Originally posted by son of PC

Originally posted by Burginthorn
I don't get it.

You've got 10 students in NZ who've contracted this flu. An Israeli who's just returned from Mexico with symptoms. Other travelers who've also contracted this flu from visiting Mexico.

So the question begs - how many people in Mexico have this flu?

I mean what are the chances out of a city of 20 MILLION people, could these tourists/students/business people get this virus? It doesn't make sense.

Either a massive amount of people in Mexico have it, or these visitors are the unluckiest people on the planet.

It just doesn't add up.

Seems strange to me too. I don't get it. Maybe the water supply is contaminated.

This could be a man made virus, a terrorist attack. If that is the case, there is no telling how quickly it is spread or how.

reply to post by aero56


I was going to say that i am surprised the media hasn't already tried to spin it as a possible terrorist attack. They would probably try to blame Iran or something, giving them the pretext for war.

No-one apart from the mexicans are dying from it, are they ? I'd have thought that was a good sign for the rest of us....though do appreciate that this virus could go on to mutate into something worse. Part of me feels really silly bulk buying food now while the other half of me is being cautious ...

Originally posted by JanusFIN

White House to hold briefing on swine flu

BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- Obama administration officials including U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano are scheduled to hold a briefing on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time to provide an update on the outbreak of swine flu, reports said. Napolitano will be joined by Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and John Brenna, assistant to the president for Homeland Security. A growing number of swine flu cases in Mexico and the U.S. have health officials concerned that the aggressive virus could infect people worldwide.

www.marketwatch.com...[F87F7281-0B47-402C-ABD5-AAE75C565144]

Great, the last thing we need is Janet Napolitano having anything to do with planning the fight against this bug. She has already said that more than half of America is a home grown terrorist hotbed. The very woman that hates more than half of the Americans living in this country is going to protect them? I don't buy it. This woman needs to shut up and go away. I am just waiting for another Waco or Ruby Ridge from this wild card.

Originally posted by cosmicpixie
No-one apart from the mexicans are dying from it, are they ? I'd have thought that was a good sign for the rest of us....though do appreciate that this virus could go on to mutate into something worse. Part of me feels really silly bulk buying food now while the other half of me is being cautious ...

There are many more reasons to bulk buy supplies. I have done so for awhile now. This bug may get bad or it may be fizzle out but we still have the depression to worry about. The food stuffs you pay one dollar for today will be worth much more in the future. Don't feel silly and you can always give the stuff away later.

Originally posted by aero56

Originally posted by son of PC

Originally posted by Burginthorn
I don't get it.

You've got 10 students in NZ who've contracted this flu. An Israeli who's just returned from Mexico with symptoms. Other travelers who've also contracted this flu from visiting Mexico.

So the question begs - how many people in Mexico have this flu?

I mean what are the chances out of a city of 20 MILLION people, could these tourists/students/business people get this virus? It doesn't make sense.

Either a massive amount of people in Mexico have it, or these visitors are the unluckiest people on the planet.

It just doesn't add up.

Seems strange to me too. I don't get it. Maybe the water supply is contaminated.

This could be a man made virus, a terrorist attack. If that is the case, there is no telling how quickly it is spread or how.

There is absolutely no evidence that this is a terrorist attack. Why would terrorists attack Mexico with this thing?

Let me guess, it's an attack on the USA (because everything is about you guys right?)

If this were a terrorist attack on America, they would have hit a major US city. It would be just as easy to do, and more effective.
If it was a global indiscriminate attack, they would have chosen tourist locations with a greater number of people visiting from all over the world. Mexico city, while a tourist location for many, is not the most efficient way to achieve something like that.

There's no evidence at all to suggest that this was a deliberate attack. There isn't even any common sense to it.

How does it get from a small section amongst 20 million to other countries? Though transport networks.
Hundreds of thousands of regular people use trains, buses and taxi's throughout Mexico city to get to and from work. One of them has the virus, uses a bathroom at a train station, every tourist who then goes in there is potentially infected. They go to the airport and use the bathroom, eat at a restaurant, buy from a shop. Every person who then uses that bathroom, eats at that restaurant or goes into that shop is then potentially infected.

There's nothing strange, weird or suspicious about it, this is how every virus of this kind becomes a pandemic. This is why they tell you to wash your hands, wear a face mask and avoid public places where large numbers of people gather.

It would take just hours for such a virus to get from a local population into the tourism industry, and then it has the freedom to travel anywhere in the world.

And in reverse, once those infected reach home, they then pass it to others by using the bathroom at the airport, the taxi back into the city, the train on the way home...

I don't think it's going to be as bad as some fear, but we should all be following the example of China and Japan, they're screening everyone, setting up quarantines and they're focusing on the transport networks. Britain on the other hand is "advising people" to seek help if they feel queasy.

Did "Survivors" not teach our government anything?

We need to be restricting global travel, monitoring all travel networks with heat sensors to detect fever in passengers, and then quarantining by severity and then those who could develop it from being in contact.

This virus is serious, and it is killing otherwise healthy people. This isn't just targeting the weak and frail. This, along with the speed at which it has developed, suggests that this is advanced and more potentially dangerous than the H5N1 virus.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Scroll down to te post by "ecoparity"...it really gave me food for thought.

Just recently I read a thread on ATS about either NATO or WHO are allowed to execute emergency powers if a country became affected by a pandemic or something along those lines.

I'm trying to hunt down the article and thread now but it's going to take a while as I can't remember if it was NATO or WHO and how old the thread was.

Personally, if I'm remembering things correctly, this seems far too much of a coincidence.

(Sorry if this is meant to be in another thread)

Japanese corporations ban all employee trips to Mexico. Sending masks to employees working in the U.S. and Mexico.
twitter.com...

Operations Room Activated To Monitor Swine Flu
www.bernama.com...

Is the New Strain of Swine Flu a Bio-Terror Attack?

In a discussion this morning with a cell biologist and medical doctor working at Johns Hopkins, my friend thought this 4-part flu combination is highly unusual and looks like it could be man-made.

Especially because it has an avian strain. My doctor friend (he's Taiwanese) explained that in Asia, it's common for a avian-swine-human flu to happen naturally, but this virus first showed up in Mexico, where pigs and ducks are not usually raised together.
Also, recombination of more than 2-different flu viruses is extremely rare. I'm just repeating what he said as an expert in the field. He says the CDC needs to explain if there is a possibility that we are under a bio-weapon attack.

www.rightsidenews.com...

Mexico is one of the world's highest accumulators of tourists. Who knows how many people, from across the world, have visited Mexico in the last three weeks.

en.wikipedia.org...

Possible 25 cases in New Zealand, four in France and three in Spain.

I pray that is purely speculation!

reply to post by asen_y2k

A breaking news item just posted...

abcnews.go.com...

Countries planned quarantines, tightened rules on pork imports and tested airline passengers for fevers as global health officials tried Sunday to come up with uniform ways to battle a deadly strain of swine flu. Nations from New Zealand to France reported new suspected cases.

World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan held teleconferences with staff and flu experts around the world but stopped short of recommending specific measures to stop the disease, urging governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks.

Governments including China, Russia and Taiwan began planning to put anyone with symptoms of the deadly virus under quarantine.

Others were increasing their screening of pigs and pork imports from the Americas or banning them outright despite health officials' reassurances that it was safe to eat thoroughly cooked pork.

Margaret Chan held teleconferences with staff and flu experts around the world but stopped short of recommending specific measures to stop the disease, urging governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks.

Wow!

[edit on 26-4-2009 by Walkswithfish]

Originally posted by infinite

In addition, eight suspected cases are being investigated at a New York City high school where about 200 students fell mildly ill with flu-like symptoms

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

BBC

200? I thought the figure was 17

Well I am sure they all got hugs from mommy and daddy so anyone
those ppl hand a credit card too or money has been exposed.

It is well on its way.

Just think of the mailman...I'd be wearing gloves if I was him.

Originally posted by northof8
OBAMA GREETED IN MEXICO BY MAN WHO DIED DAYS LATER OF FLU SYMPTOMS...

Link

Wow... That is insane.

That would be poetic justice supreme.


I would just hate that the twits that are is his second and third in charge, would then be in charge.

Have anyone besides Mexicans died from this? There seem to be a lot of cases popping up and just resolving themselves but Mexicans are dropping like flies. How can this NOT be man-made? I mean, germs are probably the most egalitarian force on the planet. They don't care if you're black or white, Republican or Democrat, etc.

Why are ONLY Mexicans dying from this? There are plenty of unhygienic people all over the world, even here in good ol' U.S. of A. There are plenty of poor, uninsured people in lots of countries. Even with insurance, there are people who won't go to a doctor when they're sick.

Why only Mexicans?

reply to post by Walkswithfish


"Margaret Chan held teleconferences with staff and flu experts around the world but stopped short of recommending specific measures to stop the disease, urging governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks."

How utterly ridiculous is this? Is the woman right in the head? Hellooooo???? There are many people dying of a deadly flu outbreak here, isn't the WHO supposed to step up to the plate in a situation like this? No instead they do practically nothing. Anyway, as i said in a post last night, its already too late to try and prevent it or contain it now.

reply to post by Kram09


more people have died from indigestion in the last 24 hrs than

the swine flu

relax

uk.reuters.com...

"GENEVA (Reuters) - International experts will convene on Tuesday to advise the World Health Organisation (WHO) whether to raise the current pandemic alert level due to the new flu virus in Mexico and the United States, a WHO spokesman said"