Swine flu news updates will be posted here continually. Our original post on the swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the US can be read here. Swine Flu – Outbreak in Mexico, U.S. Tied To New Unique Strain
Updates & Additional Swine Flu News Story Links
Friday May 1st, 2009
Thursday April 30th 2009
Wednesday April 29th 2009
Tuesday April 28th 2009
Monday April 27th 2009
- The WHO has raised the pandemic alert level to 4, the highest since the scale was developed in 2005.
Sunday April 26th 2009
Saturday April 25th 2009
Friday April 24th 2009
US medical authorities expressed strong concern Friday about an unprecedented multi-strain swine flu outbreak that has killed at least 60 people in Mexico and infected seven people in the United States.
“It’s very obvious that we are very concerned. We’ve stood up emergency operation centers,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spokesman Dave Daigle told AFP.
CDC says too late to contain U.S. flu outbreak
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday it was too late to contain the swine flu outbreak in the United States.
CDC acting director Dr. Richard Besser told reporters in a telephone briefing it was likely too late to try to contain the outbreak, by vaccinating, treating or isolating people.
3rd Possible Swine Flu Outbreak In Mexico
Mexico has reported a third possible outbreak of swine flu in Mexicali, near the U.S. border, with four suspect cases and no deaths to date, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.
WHO calls emergency meeting on swine flu
The World Health Organization said on Friday that it was convening an emergency committee to advise whether outbreaks of swine flu in the United States and Mexico constituted an international public health threat.
“WHO will convene, sometime in the very near future, an emergency committee under the International Health Regulations, which will consider whether or not this event constitutes a public health event of international concern,” WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told Reuters in Geneva.
[…] Swine Flu News Updates […]
The southern border should be closed off and travel restricted. What are they waiting for?! Quarantine those who have contracted the flu. A note to the CDC, it is NEVER too late to do something. I live in California so this is a big concern.
Once again the CDC is dragging their feet. You people better start doing something now!!! If you keep letting people into this country so freely this problem will never go away!!
Close the border you don’t want another pandemic we have to be realy smart about this
They need to start now. It they wait it will be harder to stop the spread. WARN everyone to be prepared. Stay away from crowds.
To those asking for border closings, quarantines, etc: It is too late for that. People that are showing infection have been shedding virus for days, if not a week before showing symptoms. Any actions taken along those lines will only be for political purposes. Swine flu broke out in the 70’s and disappeared about a month later all on its own, so there is that hope.
If we are looking at a pandemic, we already have the beginning of clusters in widely varied areas of the country (California, Texas, Kansas, probably New York). Hate to tell ya, but if this is a pandemic strain (which we are far overdue for), there isn’t much to do containment wise. Cancelling large events will be the next step, and trying to rush a production of vaccination shots.
ia this a strain similar to that of 1976?
Stop the panic and the rehetoric. Stopping infulenza is as simple as;
1. Wash your hands frequently.
2. If you feel ill, stay home.
3. Avoid close contact (less than 6′) from anyone that looks ill or is coughing.
4. If you have respiratory symptoms, wear a mask if you have to be in close contact with anyone.
Most of all, read the CDC guidelines for infection control.
I’m feeling pretty sick myself, and I just got back from a trip to LA. Hot and cold flashes and coughing off and on. What’s the big deal with the flu? I’ve been through worse…
Matt – with all due respect, I have to disagree that it’s too late for closing the borders. If you have a water leak flooding your basement, do you try to mop up the water while it’s still pouring in? Noooo, you stop the leak, and then clean up the mess.
The same principle applies here. As long as more infected people are freely moving across our southern border, there is no possibility of containing the spread of the Flu in the U.S., no mstter how much vaccine you dispense.
You say that closing the border would be strictly a political move. It appears to me that your opposition to closing the border is probably based on YOUR political views – and not good old-fashioned Common Sense.
Dee you are wise to tink tha way I agree 100%
The border needs to be closed immediatedly. However, the govt. won’t do it because of the economic implications. They are more concerned with $$ than your health.
Natpolitano is a idiot. We need to close the boarder now to at least slow down the spread. This administration is a bunch of amatures that is very dangerous for this country
Dee- My viewpoint is purely based on how to handle an outbreak of a easily transmitted airborne virus. IF this virus had been caught early then closing a border or trying to contain it would possibly be feasible. Possibly. Once you have clusters in multiple states, and demonstration of human-to-human transmission you would be wasting time focusing at the border. Remember, the people showing symptoms now have been shedding virus for days before they showed any symptoms. Reverse quarantine will be more effective now (If you are healthy and live in an outbreak area, STAY HOME and watch TV and relax)
The focus now needs to be on:
1) increased survellience. Lots more testing of febrile patients at hospitals to see how wide spread it is.
2) Figure out why the mortality is so high in Mexico but no deaths in the US yet. Did it mutate? Are we missing deaths in the US because we haven’t been looking for it? Are they missing mild illness in Mexico that we are picking up in the US?
3) Deployment of Tamiflu for use. Fortunately this strain is sensitive to Tamiflu (and Relenza). Unfortunately the federal government has left us vastly ill prepared for a flu outbreak (50 million doses = 5 million patients to be treated). Thanks Bush, one last parting gift for the country there
[…] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified the strain of swine flu and is prepared to distribute a quarter of the U.S. stockpile of 50 million doses of anti-viral medications in places around the country where swine flu has been located or may be expected to spread, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a briefing at the White House. Swine Flu News Updates […]
everyone is panaking over the swine flu noone hasnt saw nothing yet this is only the beginning of what is to come, people want turn to god they hve forgotton him the one who loves us soon his wrath will come and we all deserve it!!!!!!! nothing can stop his hand this world is worse then soddom and gomorrah and we wll surely reap the wrath of God. his love and mercy will become wrath soon. turn to him while theres still time you dnt wanna be here when his wrath is poured out in revelation read it…
[…] Article can be found at: https://nationalterroralert.com/2009/04/24/swine-flu-news-updates/ […]
There are two things that concern me about swine flu
When people get sick they do not stay home they go to work because in our society it is not ok to stay home sick by most employers at least the ones I have worked for (if you do they get upset with you so not worth calling in.) Or when people with kids who stayed home sick from school bring they kids in to get a haircut or take them shopping I have had kids with scarlet fever or some type of illness and actually throwing up at my station while getting a haircut (that I got sick and gave it to all the clients I worked on) through out the years. So please stay home if you are sick go to the Dr. get better!!!!
Mexico doesn’t have the health care we have. More people die there in general right? So why is it so puzzling that its killing people there and only making those here ill?
Yes I understand that there statisically should be at least a few deaths here if there are deaths there but still. Its really not all that shocking. I agree we are over due for a pandemic. They are natures way of cutting down the population. If these things didn’t happen our world would be even more over populated than it already is. I’m not saying I think people should die but this is all part of the “circle of life”.
that little boy that passed away came from mexico they say his parents don’t have it they SAY but how more came in contact close the border i heard there is a website showing swifts meat plant where the pigs live in a rotten world why is our gov. hidding this -reason -no more millions of money exchanging hands in washington
We need to keep all of this in context. Lets look at some Key Facts About Seasonal Influenza (Flu) which can be found on the CDC’s website.
Every year in the United States, on average:
•5% to 20% of the population gets the flu;
•More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications; and
•About 36,000 people die from flu-related causes.
Now lets look at the Swine Influenza (Flu).
•There are 91 confirmed cases in the U.S.
•There was 1 death from a visiting Mexican toddler.
There will be more cases of the swine flu , however comparing the statistics, there is really no reason to get bent out of shape. However I agree that taking preventative steps and airing on the side of caution is good.
If we are calling swine flu an imminent pandemic then what should we call the seasonal flu???
Hey start this engine back up. We just had our first swine flu death in Stanislaus Co. in Modesto, Calif. Hundreds were in contact with the victim for the past 2 weeks while she was in the hospital. This is so sad that it wasn’t diagnosed until after she died. I’m afraid how many will be coming down with it here in Stanislaus Co.
This is from our Modesto Bee reporting it.
http://www.modbee.com/2391/story/774011.html?storylink=omni_popular