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NBC News has also learned there are suspected cases in Minnesota and Massachusetts. The total number of U.S. cases stands at 11 confirmed so far.
NBC News has also learned there are suspected cases in Minnesota and Massachusetts. The total number of U.S. cases stands at 11 confirmed so far.
Questions & Answers
Swine Influenza and You
What is swine flu?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it’s possible for swine flu viruses to spread from person to person also.
Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.?
In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.
Is this swine flu virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.
What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.
How serious is swine flu infection?
Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.
How do you catch swine flu?
Spread of swine flu can occur in two ways:
* Through contact with infected pigs or environments contaminated with swine flu viruses.
* Through contact with a person with swine flu. Human-to-human spread of swine flu has been documented also and is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).
How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?
People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are
also effective.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread
this way.
What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in San Diego County or Imperial County California or Guadalupe County, Texas and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.
If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
* Fast breathing or trouble breathing
* Bluish skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Not waking up or not interacting
* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
* Fever with a rash
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Sudden dizziness
* Confusion
* Severe or persistent vomiting
Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
The first case was seen in Mexico on April 13. The outbreak coincided with the President Barack Obama’s trip to Mexico City on April 16. Obama was received at Mexico’s anthropology museum in Mexico City by Felipe Solis, a distinguished archeologist who died the following day from symptoms similar to flu, Reforma newspaper reported. The newspaper didn’t confirm if Solis had swine flu or not.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aEsNownABJ6Q&refer=worldwide
HOPE
FYI: http://cdc.gov/swineflu/
While there is a small sample set, the mortality rate is arguably very high:
- Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. (Good)
- In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later.
- A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.
So that's an average mortality rate of: (0% + 100% +0.5%)/3= 33% average so far in the US - granted the sample sets are not ideal statistically, but even using the 200 people at Fort Dix the mortality rate of 0.5% is alarmingly high. Using the available numbers from Mexico, the rate is something approaching 3.5-7% (sample size of ">1000" with 68 deaths) .
Your math is off on the American deaths from swine flu. There are 213 confirmed cases in your statistics with 2 deaths, 1 indirect (pneumonia) and 1 where it's unknown if it was a direct or indirect death from SF. Pneumonia has a high mortality rate (up to 5% depending on the type of pneumonia) especially when combined with other respiratory conditions, so I'm not sure we should even include that one. Either way, the current mortality rate is between 0.5-1%, not 33%. The high death rate in Mexico may also be related to living conditions and health care there. It's difficult to compare death rates across different countries.
In either case, it seems the best way to protect yourself is the same as with any other disease. Wash your hands, avoid unnecessary contact with the sick, add more vitamin C and protein to your diet to strengthen your immune system, and get plenty of sleep.
US says not testing travelers from Mexico for flu
26 Apr 2009 17:19:55 GMT
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - The United States is not testing airplane travelers from Mexico for the swine flu virus that has heightened fears of a possible pandemic, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Sunday.
"Right now we don't think the facts warrant more active testing or screening of passengers coming in from Mexico," she said at a White House briefing
http://lite.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N26491120.htm
Is anyone thinking of pulling their kids out of school? What is the trigger point to do that? When cases are found in your state? Maybe too late if they are found in your town?
Well, the math is right, the interpretation is admittedly suspect though. I took the incidents separately, because detection of the flu and treatment is needed. As I stated in my post, the Fort Dix incident is more indicative, at 0.5% - which you reiterated.
In any case, a mortality rate of 0.5% is very high. There are 6,497,967 people in MA. if 1 out of 100 were infected at that mortality rate there would be 325 dead people. At 1 out of 10 that would be 3250, or a modest town worth of people. I suspect that the cities will be worst if it spreads. Stay off the subway...
ETA: at 0.5% mortality and 1 out of 100 infected, there's a 40% chance one member of this board will die of this.
Previous Swine Flu Outbreak Originated At Fort Dix
Mass vaccination program was halted after hundreds contracted debilitating nerve disease
Steve Watson
InfoWars.net
Friday, April 24, 2009
Given the reports of the possibility of a swine flu epidemic, is interesting to note that last time there was a significant outbreak of a new form of swine flu in the U.S. it originated at the army base at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
Hundreds of soldiers on the base, mostly recruits, were infected without becoming ill in 1976.
President Gerald Ford immediately ordered a nationwide vaccination program.
More than 40 million people were vaccinated. However, the program was stopped short after over 500 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a severe paralyzing nerve disease, were reported. 30 people died as a direct result of the vaccinations.
Unanswered questions regarding the outbreak remain to this day. According to a CDC investigation, It is not known why the virus did not extend beyond basic trainees or beyond the military base. The source of the virus, the exact time of its introduction into Fort Dix, and factors limiting its spread and duration remain unknown.
Previous reports of attempts to use influenza as a bio weapon, should also have us asking concerned questions. See below for further reading.
‘Accidental’ Contamination Of Vaccine With Live Avian Flu Virus Virtually Impossible
Indonesia’s Health Minister Accuses U.S. Of Bird Flu Bio-Weapon Conspiracy
Military resurrects deadly flu virus
Experts fear escape of 1918 flu from lab
The avian flu fright: Politically timed for global ‘iatrogenocide’
Home Depot has N95 masks from 3M in Contractor packs of 20 for $19.99, never hurts to have a couple on hand.
I think the value of the face masks is not that they filter down to the size of a virus particle, they obviously do not. But they can catch droplets of fluid which hold the virus particles, and also they could keep you from touching your face as much with your hands.
+1 which is why you need to change your mask on a regular basis. Likewise you would change cloths and shower after being near infected people.
Fort Detrick disease samples may be missing
Originally published April 22, 2009
By Justin M. Palk
News-Post Staff
Army criminal investigators are looking into the possibility that disease samples are missing from biolabs at Fort Detrick.
As first reported in today's edition of The Frederick News-Post by columnist Katherine Heerbrandt, the investigators are from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division unit at Fort Meade.
Chad Jones, spokesman for Fort Meade, said CID is investigating the possibility of missing virus samples from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.
He said the only other detail he could provide is that the investigation is ongoing.
Fort Detrick does not have its own CID office, Jones said, which is why Fort Meade's CID was brought in.
Jones said he could not comment on when the investigation started.
CID is responsible for investigating crimes where the Army is, or may be, a party of interest, according to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command website.
USAMRIID is the Army's top biodefense lab, where researchers study pathogens including Ebola, anthrax and plague.
In February, USAMRIID halted all its research into these and other diseases, known as "select agents" following the discovery of virus samples that weren't listed in its inventory.
The institute's commander, Col. John Skvorak, ordered research halted while workers conducted a complete inventory of the institute's select agents.
That inventory is nearly completed, though the exact end date isn't known yet, said Caree Vander Linden, USAMRIID spokeswoman.
Vander Linden said she didn't know about the CID investigation and referred questions to the CID's head public affairs office.
There is no indication whether the CID investigation is connected to USAMRIID's re-inventorying of its select agent stocks.
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=89293
Is anyone thinking of pulling their kids out of school? What is the trigger point to do that? When cases are found in your state? Maybe too late if they are found in your town?
Nobody is reported to have died in the US yet, but something like 200 deaths reported in Mexico. Is there something that would explain that? Perhaps the virus is much more widespread in Mexico than we think, so the case fatality rate is smaller than we think?
We are going to start 'social distancing', which means avoiding gatherings of people, crowds, movies, stores, etc, when possible.