Posted on 04/25/2009 3:00:31 PM PDT by Crazieman
As Mexico hunkers down, 2 cases found in Kansas and 8 likely in NYC
Worries that the new swine flu strain that has killed as many as 68 people and sickened more than 1,000 across Mexico has “pandemic potential” increased with the announcement that the virus has spread to Kansas and likely to New York City.
On Saturday, two new cases were confirmed in Kansas — the first U.S. cases outside of California or Texas. And New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said tests showed that eight New York schoolchildren had a type A influenza virus that was "probable" swine flu.
Samples have been sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing to see if they are indeed the unusual H1N1 strain of swine flu. The students showed only mild flu symptoms and are feeling better.
"What is concerning about this is that it is likely swine flu and second that it is spreading person to person," Frieden said. He added, "We have seen no increase citywide in flu-like cases."
About 100 students at a school in the New York City borough of Queens became sick last week, prompting the tests.
The Kansas cases involved two adults living in the same house; one is still ill and the other is recovering. One of the patients recently traveled to Mexico, flying in and out of Wichita.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
A word of caution about GermX. It is good stuff, and will definitely keep you healthier. Make sure you wash with soap and water too. The GermX kills the bacteria, but it stays on your hands, making a wonderful mean for fungi, which feed on dead bacteria. GermX is great for times when you can’t get to a bathroom to wash your hands. (like shopping etc) Better to use soap and water when you are able.
you can keep antibacterial wipes in the car to use on your hands, shopping cart handles, etc, until you get home to wash your hands more thoroughly.
I touched a shopping cart this morning, is it too late for me?
Knew there was a Napolitano angle in there somewhere. We're plottin' to wipe out Mexicans, in such a fevered imagination.
I have a bottle of GermX in the pocket in my driver’s door and two at home. For men who don’t want to smell ‘girlie’, you can add a tablespoon of Old Spice after shave to a regular bottle of GermX and have Old Spice cleanser.
Excellent advice. Whatever happened to phisohex?
Your attempt at calm, reasoned guidance is commendable.
There are very brave women and men putting themselves in harm’s way today - in order that this too may pass.
Health care workers are largely trusting in their training tonight. This is a very bad bug (almost unique) and to say that the issue is uncertain is to grossly understate the situation we find ourselves in tonight.
Pray that those who laugh, as the adults struggle to define, detect and destroy this enemy of healthy young adults, get the last laugh. And not that we here in the war against disease get to say “I told you so”.
Stay Strong
MA
Mexican health facilities are not as good as in America. Mexico is one of the largest economies in the world, but it is in control of a few blue blooded elites who ruled since the first Spaniards set foot. They are the real rulers of Mexico, not the president or politicans.
I am keeping an eye on it as usual.
if we don’t see you in a few days we’ll know :-)
Yes, you are doomed..........LOL!!
Well, that's what ya get for shopping before checking for FR advice............
Could this be a bio terror weapon of a group of bugs put together? Would not suprise me if this is from the ME.
I reside down the street from the high school in New York.
!Yay!
Exactly. I’m having trouble understanding all the panic over a couple of isolated cases of flu. Either the CDC knows something we don’t, or there are other reasons the government wants to make a big deal out of this (no, I’m not the tinfoil hat type). But the hype far outweighs what we have seen so far. At worst, this looks to extend the flu season a couple weeks longer than usual.
Probably. I’d start planning your funeral ;-)
I’m not making light of this flu situation, BUT, I want to know when are we to expect the locusts and frogs.
“’m having trouble understanding all the panic over a couple of isolated cases of flu. “
I think the reason they are so worried is because the flu is very contagious. It is easily transmitted, even without close contact. It isn’t a big deal when the flu isn’t severe. (It is still dangerous to those with compromised immune systems, or the elderly) This type of flu seems to be quite dangerous, and when combined with the ease of transmission, it could cause millions of deaths. The flu of 1918 caused as many as 20 million.
I doubt this flu could be as dangerous as the flu of 1918, because we have better awareness of how to fight flu epidemics. We also have antivirals which are effective. Countries like Mexico, with it combination of poverty and lack of medical care, could face disastrous results.
I haven’t seen anything yet that is outside the scope of the normal influenza outbreaks. We had what I would call an average year here this year, had a couple of really sick people with secondary pneumonia after a course of the flu. Probably a slightly worse than average year for pneumonia not associated with the flu, at least seems worse than last year.
All flu is fairly contagious, although the influenza vaccine from last fall will obviously not protect against this strain. But last year the flu vac missed and was only about 20% effective, and we did not see a large pandemic. I guess I haven’t seen anything that raises red flags for me yet, and I wonder what all the hysteria is about. I guess we will know either way over the next 2-4 weeks.
I think phisohex is hexachlorophene, but I am not positive. I know they still use it for some outbreaks, but it only works on gram-positive bacteria. I think it also absorbs through the skin and can build up in the blood. Some nasty complications of using it too much include infertility, and impotence. Personally, i will take my chances with the bacteria.
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