Hong Kong 'flu' hotel sealed off (week long quarantine)

So many governments can't be just overreacting.

When the actions don't match the rhetoric, watch the actions.

Just got a positive report from a parent that a middle school in Houston is closed for a week. Police came and shut it down. One of the kids has it.

Amen Angie. I don’t think I am a tin-foiler; but ‘our’ reaction as opposed to the rest of the world’s reation; well it just doesn’t jibe.

ping

Ping.

Got this e-mail from a Texas doctor. Dr. Marcus Gitterle, M.D. 600 N Union Ave Christus Santa Rosa Hospital - New Braunfels New Braunfels, TX 78130 Specialties ｷ Family Practice ｷ Emergency Medicine After I returned from a public health meeting yesterday with community leaders and school officials in Comal County and Hays County, Heather suggested I send an update to my patients in the area, because what we are hearing privately from the CDC and Health Department is different from what you are hearing in the media. Some of you know some of this, but I will just list what facts I know. - The virus is infectious for about 2 days prior to symptom onset - Virus spreads more than 7 days after symptom onset (possibly as long as 9 days) (this is more unusual than ordinary flu) - Since it is such a novel (new) virus, there is no "herd immunity," so the "attack rate" is very high. This is the percentage of people who come down with a virus if exposed. Almost everyone who is exposed to this virus will become infected, though not all will be symptomatic. That is much higher than seasonal flu, which averages 10-15%. The "clinical attack rate" estimation from CDC and WHO may be around 40-50%. This is the number of people who show symptoms. This is a huge number. It is hard to convey the seriousness of this to those outside of the medical fields. - The virulence (deadliness) of this virus is as bad here as in Mexico, and there are folks on ventilators here in the US, right now. This has not been in the media, but a 23 month old in Houston is fighting for his life, and a pregnant woman just south of San Antonio is fighting for her life. In Mexico, these folks might have died already, but here in the US, folks are getting Tamiflu or Relenza quickly, and we have ready access to ventilators. What this means is that within a couple of weeks, regional hospitals will likely become overwhelmed. - Some of the kids with positive cases in Comal County have had more than 70 contacts before diagnosis as a minimum figure. - There are 10-25 times more actual cases (not "possible" cases -- actual), than what is being reported in the media. The way they fudge on reporting this is that it takes 3 days to get the confirmatory nod from the CDC on a given viral culture, but based on epidemiological grounds, we know that there are more than 10 cases for each "confirmed" case right now. - During the night, we crossed the threshold for the definition of a WHO, Phase 6 global pandemic. This has not happened in any of our lifetimes so far.. We are in uncharted territory. - They are advising President Obama to declare an emergency sometime in the next 72-96 hours. This may not happen, but if it doesn't, I will be surprised. When this happens, all public gathering will be cancelled for 10 days minimum. - I suggest all of us avoid public gatherings. Outdoor activities are not as likely to lead to infection.. It is contained areas and close contact that are the biggest risk. - Tamiflu is running out. There is a national stockpile, but it will have to be carefully managed for law enforcement and first responders as it is not enough to treat the likely number of infections when this is full-blown. I don't think there is a big supply of Relenza, but I do not know those numbers. If I had to choose, I would take Relenza, as I think it gets more drug to the affected tissue than Tamiflu. - You should avoid going to the ER if you think you have been exposed or are symptomatic. ER's south of here are becoming overwhelmed today-- and I mean that -- already. It is coming in waves, but the waves are getting bigger. - It appears that this flu produces a distinctive "hoarseness" in many victims. The symptoms, in general, match other flu's; namely, sore throat, body aches, headache, cough, and fever. What is not too common in regular flu cycles is vomiting and diarrhea which seems to be associated with this, further dehydrating victims. Some have all these symptoms, while others may have only one or two. - N-Acetyl-Cysteine -- a nutritional supplement available at the health food store or Wimberley Pharmacy, has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of influenza. I suggest 1200mg, twice a day for adults, and 600mg twice a day in kids over 12. It would be hard to get kids under 12 to take it, but you could try opening the capsules and putting it on yogurt. For 40 pounds and up, 300-600 mg twice a day, for less than 40 pounds, half that. - Oscillococinum, a homeopathic remedy, has been vindicated as quite effective in a large clinical trial in Europe, with an H1N1 variant. You can buy this at Hill Country Natural Foods, or the Wimberley Pharmacy. I will try to keep everyone posted if I have any new information. Meanwhile, don't be afraid, stay informed and try to avoid infection. The fewer people infected the easier it will be for our public officials to manage it. If any of my patients become ill, or suspect infection, call the office, do not come without calling and DO NOT go to the ER. If one member in a family is identified all would be given the Tamiflu or Relenza (that is normal course of action) if there is enough distributed to fill prescriptions. Public health stated that one family member identified or suspected to have contracted the flu it will require the whole family to be 倉uarantined・in their own home until enough time has passed for the remaining household to have contracted it or be considered infection free ( 7 to 10 days per person). As another suggestion, if any member of the family is on routine medication- fill those prescriptions now. Have plenty fluids, Motrin, soups, etc available and make contingency plans in case your family is affected.

Of course so many governments can be overreacting. That’s what government does, it’s what they’re good at, overreacting and pretending to react while actually doing nothing.

I read where they just closed two schools in Indiana. Two students have been confirmed with the flu and had not traveled to Mexico.

Are we seeing these severe reactions because of fear of lawsuits...or is the plaque worse than they are telling us...or is it just to create panic...

A paper in UK is already telling people that there won’t be enough hospital beds and there will have to be a lottery if this spreads.

Asia suffered pretty severe social and economic damage as a result of SARS and the avarian flu, so I would expect Hong Kong officials to be very aggressive with the current pandemic.

http://www.livemint.com/2009/04/30221249/Epidemics-and-their-effect-on.html?h=B

Sorry for the mess in post #6.

Swine Flu: Ill woman is in ICU in West GA hospital
http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=10279275

Thursday, the head of Georgia’s Division of Public Health says the CDC has confirmed the first case in the state, a 30-year-old woman from Kentucky who was hospitalized in the town of LaGrange while visiting west Georgia.

She’d been in Cancun, Mexico, earlier this month.

The woman is in the ICU at West GA Medical in LaGrange, GA showing modest signs and considered seriously ill.

Timeline:

She traveled from Kentucky to Georgia with her 5-year-old daughter by way of car.

Prior to her trip to Georgia she took a leisure trip to Cancun, Mexico with a travel companion from April 17- April 21.

She began to fell ill on April 18th, but she thought it was due to the sun.

April 23: She arrived in Atlanta, GA by way of car.

April 24: She went shopping in Atlanta, GA.

April 25: She went to a wedding rehearsal dinner in LaGrange, GA.

April 26: She attended a wedding and later that day went to the ER voluntarily with family to West Georgia Medical in LaGrange, GA. She was immediately isolated. Officials performed a rapid specimen test , which the CDC received on April 28.

The family and those in her close circle were given anti-viral medications as a precaution.

The CDC and the Georgia Division of Public Health are working together to notify those that were in contact with her at the wedding.

April 30: Confirmed 30 year-old woman who has swine flu is from Warren County, Kentucky.

Notice that in the case above the woman was ambulatory for 8 days, with symptoms, before she went to the hospital. She is now in an ICU. She is 30 years old.

This is the same pattern as reported in Mexico.

According to this article Mexico has 35,000 samples waiting to be tested:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aCq75QoLBuDo&refer=home

If you go here
http://www.idemc.org/index.php?area=

you can subscribe to a Pandemic Monitoring System email list. I am getting news reports from all over the world sent to my inbox. Very handy. Like this one that just came in...

An NHS worker has been confirmed as Britain’s first case of swine flu being transferred between humans within the UK.

Graeme Pacitti, 24, tested positive for the virus after coming into contact with football team-mate Iain Askham, who fell ill after his honeymoon in Mexico. Mr Askham and his new wife Dawn, from Polmont, near Falkirk, were released from hospital on Thursday after spending five nights in isolation. The positive test result was confirmed by the Scottish Government. It comes as a further case of the virus was announced by the Department of Health in the North West of England. The total number of people confirmed in the UK as having swine flu is now 10.

Freeper AdmSmith posted this link with very interesting swine flu reading info

Most of those in Mexico are dying of Pneumonia which is what happens after the Influenza wrecks their lungs. From http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewtopic.php?t=3232&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=705

When the hysterical masses sense
that the threat comes towards them
the Army of Death sneaks in from behind.