Posted on 04/24/2009 5:21:03 PM PDT by Lady GOP
GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that it was prepared with rapid containment measures including antivirals if needed to combat the swine flu outbreaks in Mexico and the United States.
The Geneva-based agency has been stockpiling doses of Roche Holding's Tamiflu, known generically as oseltamivir, a pill that can both treat flu and prevent infection.
The new virus, not previously detected in pigs or humans, has proved sensitive to the drug, the WHO said in a statement.
The WHO and its regional office in Washington, D.C., are also sending experts to Mexico to help health authorities with disease surveillance, laboratory diagnosis and clinical management of cases.
Mexican health officials have reported more than 850 cases of pneumonia in the capital, Mexico City, including 59 who died. In San Luis Potosi, in central Mexico, 24 cases including 3 deaths have been detected.
They have also informed the WHO about a third suspected outbreak of swine flu in Mexicali, near the U.S. border, with four suspect cases and no deaths so far.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control have said there were 8 cases of swine influenza in California and Texas and no deaths.
Health authorities in the two North American countries have the resources required already in place, including Tamiflu, and are "well equipped," according to the WHO.
"WHO is prepared with rapid containment measures should it be necessary to be deployed," WHO spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi told Reuters.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
I didn’t see that in the article.
Did the boy travel by plane?
I think I read the vaccine is ineffective against it. Or I think there may be some concern of its effectiveness as well as the effectiveness fo antivirals like Tamiflu etc.
Well the way I look at it is Mother Nature figures if we can’t square ourselves away then she will do it for us, one way or another!
Drudge Report indicates 60 Dead. No plans to close border. Wow, what a way to contain it... Where is the Surgeon General, I don’t belive we have one...Can Obama get anything right?
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