News Flash!
I know this news article isn't related to your topics of interst but I thought posting this would be worth reading. here...
WHO: Mexico swine flu has 'pandemic potential'
GENEVA – An outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States is a quickly evolving situation that has "pandemic potential," the head of the World Health Organization said Saturday before an emergency meeting of flu experts.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the North American outbreak of a never-before-seen virus was a very serious situation.
She called Saturday's emergency meeting to consider declaring an international public health emergency over the outbreak, which is believed to have killed dozens of people in Mexico and sickened at least eight in the U.S.
The experts are also expected to recommend whether WHO should raise its pandemic alert to a higher level.
At least 62 people have died from severe pneumonia caused by a flu-like illness in Mexico, according to WHO. Some of those who died are confirmed to have a unique version of the A/H1N1 flu virus that is a combination of bird, pig and human viruses.
Mexico has closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in a bid to contain the outbreak, which may have sickened about 1,000 people there.
"The situation is evolving quickly," Chan said at a telephone news conference in Geneva. "A new disease is by definition poorly understood.
"In the assessment of WHO, this is a serious situation which must be watched very closely."
"This is an animal strain of the H1N1 virus, and it has pandemic potential because it is infecting people," Chan said.
"However, we cannot say, on the basis of currently available laboratory, epidemiological and clinical evidence, whether or not it will indeed cause a pandemic," she added.
It is the first time Chan has convened such a crisis panel since the procedure was created almost two years ago, spokesman Gregory Hartl said.
The committee may decide Saturday that the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency, and if so, whether WHO should consider measures including travel advisories, trade restrictions and border closures.
The global body's flu pandemic alert level is now set to phase three — meaning there is no or very limited risk of a new virus spreading from human to human.
The committee "will be asked, 'should we raise the alert level to phase four or phase five,' depending on their appreciation of how far the virus has spread," Hartl said.
An increased alert level was considered likely, as initial evidence from the outbreak in Mexico indicates the virus has spread between people. Hartl said, however, that a decision would not be made Saturday.
WHO: Mexico swine flu has 'pandemic potential'
GENEVA – An outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States is a quickly evolving situation that has "pandemic potential," the head of the World Health Organization said Saturday before an emergency meeting of flu experts.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the North American outbreak of a never-before-seen virus was a very serious situation.
She called Saturday's emergency meeting to consider declaring an international public health emergency over the outbreak, which is believed to have killed dozens of people in Mexico and sickened at least eight in the U.S.
The experts are also expected to recommend whether WHO should raise its pandemic alert to a higher level.
At least 62 people have died from severe pneumonia caused by a flu-like illness in Mexico, according to WHO. Some of those who died are confirmed to have a unique version of the A/H1N1 flu virus that is a combination of bird, pig and human viruses.
Mexico has closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in a bid to contain the outbreak, which may have sickened about 1,000 people there.
"The situation is evolving quickly," Chan said at a telephone news conference in Geneva. "A new disease is by definition poorly understood.
"In the assessment of WHO, this is a serious situation which must be watched very closely."
"This is an animal strain of the H1N1 virus, and it has pandemic potential because it is infecting people," Chan said.
"However, we cannot say, on the basis of currently available laboratory, epidemiological and clinical evidence, whether or not it will indeed cause a pandemic," she added.
It is the first time Chan has convened such a crisis panel since the procedure was created almost two years ago, spokesman Gregory Hartl said.
The committee may decide Saturday that the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency, and if so, whether WHO should consider measures including travel advisories, trade restrictions and border closures.
The global body's flu pandemic alert level is now set to phase three — meaning there is no or very limited risk of a new virus spreading from human to human.
The committee "will be asked, 'should we raise the alert level to phase four or phase five,' depending on their appreciation of how far the virus has spread," Hartl said.
An increased alert level was considered likely, as initial evidence from the outbreak in Mexico indicates the virus has spread between people. Hartl said, however, that a decision would not be made Saturday.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by KilRoy on -
more stuff on the swine flu and this is nasty looking...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090427/ap_on_bi_ge/med_swine_flu_reali...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/med_swine_flu_glance
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090427/ts_nm/us_flu
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Permalink Reply by PRIME_Ω_PREDATOR on -
Any news on the number dead in Mexico? I've hear 100 but am not sure if that is dead or infected. It's officially in Canada and appears to be spreading in California. My wife and I are flying next month on vacation. I suppose I'll be wearing one of those lil masks..
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Permalink Reply by Francy Gentile on -
The news I heard here in Italy talk about 110 dead, and more than 1600 sospicious cases of flu in Mexico. Plus the cases in the U.S., other sospicious cases in Europe (2 in UK, 3 in Germany, 4 in France).
Nothing here in Italy for the moment.
These are very disturbing events...
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Permalink Reply by KilRoy on
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disturbing indeed, I haven't herd of any cases in Europe, but now I do thanks to you mentioning it.
anyone that has came across more information on this outbreak, post it here, we need to stay in touch on this thing.
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Permalink Reply by ChRoNiC666 on -
swine flu has reached scotland .
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Permalink Reply by Poe on -
< News Alert>
Butchers Block- Mexican death toll at 149 people
Cases of infected in U.S. at 40 people
U.S. advises against traveling to Mexico....
THIS VIRUS APPEARS TO BE ON THE MOVE......... :(
Swine Flu Hits 20 More New York School Kids; Still a 'Single Cluster' Says Mayor Bloomberg
Swine Flu Cases Up to 40, CDC Officials Confirm; Mexico Travel Advisory Coming
By HUMA KHAN, SARAH NETTER and DAN CHILDS
April 27, 2009
Twenty additional cases of swine flu have been confirmed at a New York City school, boosting the total number of cases to 28, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today.
PHOTO As U.S. officials warn that the number of swine flu cases in the country are likely to increase, there are a number of steps Americans can do to protect themselves and their children from this unique virus.
U.S. health officials are concerned that the swine flu could result in deaths in the United States. So far, all 20 confirmed cases are recovering. But the swine flu has killed nearly 81 people in Mexico and affected more than 1,000 others.
(ABC News Photo Illustration)
More Photos
Bloomberg warned that there are another 17 students from the school, St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, and as many as 100 of the students have fallen ill and will be tested for the virus.
Some of the school's students had recently returned from a spring break trip to Mexico.
The mayor expressed optimism, however, over the fact that the disease has not yet been detected anywhere else in the city.
"We are still dealing with a single cluster of swine flu cases, all associated with this one school," Bloomberg said, adding that to his knowledge all of those infected with the virus were improving.
"So far, we are not seeing a situation comparable to that being reported in Mexico."
The total number of swine flu cases throughout the U.S. rose to 40 today.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to announce later today a new travel advisory for Americans visiting Mexico, according to Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the federal agency.
Besser made the announcement at a Monday afternoon press conference.
Since Sunday, the World Health Organization has adjusted the number of confirmed cases of swine flu in the United States to 40. And while swine flu cases in the United States appear to be less severe than those in Mexico, and no deaths have yet been reported, U.S. health officials warn that the outbreaks could get worse.
"What I want people to understand is that we're concerned," Besser told "Good Morning America" today. "People should be concerned. We'll tell you what we know when we know it."
The United States has not reported any swine flu fatalities, Besser said Americans need to be prepared for it to get worse.
"I think from what we understand in Mexico, people need to be ready that we can see more severe cases in this country," he said.
Related
PHOTOS: Swine Flu Around the World
Top Federal Health Posts Vacant at Critical Time
Swine Flu: Facts, Myths and Whether to Worry
Addressing the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, President Barack Obama
Gov't advises against unnecessary travel to Mexico
AP
*
A health worker wearing a mask monitors passengers arriving from Mexico and coming through Peru for possible swine flu infection at Santiago's int Reuters – REFILE - CLARIFYING CAPTION A health worker (L) wearing a mask monitors passengers arriving from Mexico …
* Swine Flu Slideshow:Swine Flu
* Global swine flu cases close to pandemic levels Play Video Video:Global swine flu cases close to pandemic levels AP
By MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press Writer Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 9 mins ago
ATLANTA – The federal government is preparing a travel advisory instructing Americans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico, the acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.
Dr. Richard Besser made the disclosure during a news conference in Atlanta, saying the advisory was being released "out of an abundance of caution."
Besser also reported 40 confirmed cases of swine flu in the United States, including 20 in New York City. He said people can help keep the disease from spreading by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if they're not feeling well.
Before the CDC changed its advice to travelers, U.S. airlines were reporting that some passengers have already changed or canceled their plans to fly to Mexico.
Spokespeople for US Airways, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines said Monday passengers have requested travel changes, but none of the carriers would say how many. The three airlines said their operations are proceeding as normal and they have not canceled any flights to Mexico as a result of the scare.
"The loads are a little bit less than they normally would be for this time of day, but we are not seeing mass bookings away," said Michelle Mohr, a spokeswoman for US Airways.
The carrier does not fly nonstop from Europe to Mexico, but it does offer European travelers the ability to connect to Mexico through U.S. airports. The top European Union health official urged Europeans on Monday to postpone nonessential travel to parts of the United States and Mexico because of the swine flu virus.
American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said his carrier has not had a lot of requests for travel changes, though there have been some.
Delta continues to follow CDC and government agency recommendations, spokesman Anthony Black said.
"We have seen minimal changes to customer bookings," he said.
Several airlines are allowing passengers to change their travel plans to or from Mexico without any fee or penalty.
Airline stocks, meanwhile, were pummeled Monday. Shares of Delta, US Airways and American parent AMR Corp. were down double-digit or high single-digit percentages in midday trading in New York.
Merrill Lynch analyst Michael Linenberg said in a research note Monday that news of Mexico's outbreak of deadly swine flu is likely to pressure U.S. airline stocks in the near-term as investors fear a replaying of Asia's SARS episode, which impacted the global sector in the spring of 2003.
"Airlines with large international operations, especially to/from Mexico, are likely to be perceived by the market as having the most downside risk in the event that the swine flu becomes a pandemic," Linenberg said.
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AP Airlines Writer Harry R. Weber contributed to this report from Atlanta.
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Permalink Reply by KilRoy on
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just watched the news and the number of cases rose, the number is now 44. not a big increase but a bad one none the less, gj on posting that.
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Permalink Reply by Poe on
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F.U.B.A.R.
Worst case scenario underlies US pandemic plan
AP
WASHINGTON – Two million dead. Hospitals overwhelmed. Schools closed. Swaths of empty seats at baseball stadiums and houses of worship. An economic recovery snuffed out. We're nowhere close to what government planners say would be a worst-case scenario: a global flu pandemic. But government leaders at all levels, and major employers, have spent nearly four years planning for one in series of exercises.
Their reports, reviewed by The Associated Press, and interviews with participants paint a grim picture of what could happen if the swine flu gets severely out of control.
A full-scale pandemic — if it ever comes — could be expected to claim the lives of about 2 percent of those infected, about 2 million Americans.
The government estimates that a pandemic like the 1918 Spanish flu would sicken 90 million Americans, or about 30 percent of the population. Of those, nearly 10 million would have to be admitted to a hospital, and nearly 1.5 million would need intensive care. About 750,000 would need the help of mechanical ventilators to keep breathing.
No one would be immune from the consequences, even those who don't get sick, according to worst-case exercises run by local and national agencies.
Schools would be closed to try to block the spread of illness, for example, but school buses might be used to take flu victims to alternative clinics rather than overcrowded hospitals.
A 2006 report on the Washington region found both Maryland and Virginia would run out of hospital beds within two weeks of a moderate outbreak.
People who got sick would be isolated, and their relatives could be quarantined.
But even if families weren't required to stay home, many would do so to take care of sick relatives, or because they were afraid of getting sick themselves.
Hotels, restaurants and airlines would face loss of business as business travel and meetings would be replaced by teleconferences.
In the cities, commuters who do go to work might bike or walk instead of using mass transit.
People would avoid movie theaters and rent DVDs instead.
In 1918, authorities even called on churches to cancel services, to the chagrin of some pastors.
Society as a whole would go into a defensive crouch, and that would deliver a shock to the economy.
The Trust for America's Health, an independent public health group, estimated in 2007 that a severe pandemic would shrink U.S. output by about 5.5 percent.
Take a breath. Even if the new swine flu from Mexico turns out to be especially aggressive, the worst consequences could be averted.
Although some states are less prepared than others, the nation has made strides in stockpiling antiviral medicines, speeding the production of vaccines and laying down basic public health guidelines.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday that the U.S. is preparing as if the swine flu outbreak were a full pandemic. It is not at that stage and may never reach it.
Disease detectives are following a series of outbreaks, of varying severity, all of which appear to be related to Mexico. A pandemic would spread throughout the world with explosive speed.
The government got serious about worst-case planning during the 2005 bird flu scare, as the lessons of Hurricane Katrina loomed large.
"We have a playbook that was developed and is being followed," said Michael Leavitt, who as secretary of Health and Human Services oversaw pandemic planning for President George W. Bush. "It's a substantially better picture than what we faced three years ago."
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