Posted on 04/30/2009 6:51:48 AM PDT by MaestroLC
As the World Health Organization raised its infectious disease alert level Wednesday and health officials confirmed the first death linked to swine flu inside U.S. borders, scientists studying the virus are coming to the consensus that this hybrid strain of influenza -- at least in its current form -- isn't shaping up to be as fatal as the strains that caused some previous pandemics.
In fact, the current outbreak of the H1N1 virus, which emerged in San Diego and southern Mexico late last month, may not even do as much damage as the run-of-the-mill flu outbreaks that occur each winter without much fanfare.
"Let's not lose track of the fact that the normal seasonal influenza is a huge public health problem that kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. alone and hundreds of thousands around the world," said Dr. Christopher Olsen, a molecular virologist who studies swine flu at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison.
His remarks Wednesday came the same day Texas authorities announced that a nearly 2-year-old boy with the virus had died in a Houston hospital Monday.
"Any time someone dies, it's heartbreaking for their families and friends," Olsen said. "But we do need to keep this in perspective."
Flu viruses are known to be notoriously unpredictable, and this strain could mutate at any point -- becoming either more benign or dangerously severe. But mounting preliminary evidence from genetics labs, epidemiology models and simple mathematics suggests that the worst-case scenarios are likely to be avoided in the current outbreak.
"This virus doesn't have anywhere near the capacity to kill like the 1918 virus," which claimed an estimated 50 million victims worldwide, said Richard Webby, a leading influenza virologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Time to call a spade a spade.
While the media is hyping this "epidemic" for their own ratings and to spread fear and misery to the American population, Obama is looking more and more a incompetent fool on what to do or say. He won't close the border during this "crisis". He only says to clean your hands and cover your mouth when you cough. Joe Biden says don't travel on planes or subways. His administration drones parrot meaningless talking points that are more political posturing than concern for the health of our nation.
This is Obama's Katrina. I scorn him.
Not hardly. The Kenyan will never have a Katrina thanks to the MSM. In fact, I predict he will be hailed a hero by himself and the press alike for "containing the pandemic" and "lessening its impact".
Obama knows that this will amount to nothing, but he will take the credit for stopping a pandemic in its tracks, and the sheeple will buy it- hook, line and sinker.
Seen Iowa these days? Rural America doesn't get air time.
Bank on it.
I'm curious how closing the schools (as advised by the administration) works, but closing the borders does not.
I honestly don’t think that the Mexican government would shut itself down over something that isn’t a serious problem.
This post is alarming:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2241041/posts#8
I got my family some Tamiflu just for good measure. If this becomes widespread, I don’t think there will be enough to go around after the government workers raid the stockpile.
Already done by the WHO yesterday during press conference. More sickening than the swine flu itself.
Bank on it. The drug companies already are!
Freeper AdmSmith posted this link with very interesting swine flu 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
Thanks for posting this. Here is what is also playing into my increasing alarm though:
The media..including most of the syncophant Obama media has been scary folks for the last week about this stuff..then suddenly(as if instructed) many of them are turning course today and telling us not to panic..blahblahblah.
What in the hell are we suppose to do when our government cares more about politics than the health of it’s citizens?
What to Prep if you have 24 Hours
http://www.fluwikie.com/pmwiki.php?n=Consequences.24HrsList
Never let a good crisis go to waste...even a contrived one.
Wonder what will be taken from us this time in the name of “safety”?
I don’t trust Mexico to report the true amount of deaths.
I have never heard of a normal flu infecting 100+ students in 1 school so quick & etc..
Anyone reading this have a friend who actually works at an ER? Are they busier than normal? Are the patients sick or just paniced?
“I honestly don’t think that the Mexican government would shut itself down over something that isn’t a serious problem.”
Why not?
It’s the Katrina syndrome. No government wants to be seen as doing too little in a crisis.
Flu is seasonal. Sunshine (Vitamin D) will limit this particular epidemic. Two months ago it might have been much worse.
Los Alamos modeling of pandemic spread.
Population areas are in green, empty spaces are white. The pandemic begins with the arrival of 10 infected passengers in Los Angeles (shown as a tiny yellow area). Other very small yellow dots (tiny clusters of infection) emerge in a dispersed pattern on the map. The density of infections per area moves from green to yellow to orange to red when you hit the Quicktime button.
This was model was developed to demonstrate the spread of a human-adapted avian flu, but the spread of any human-to-human influenza may be similar. This simulation assumes the pandemic peaks about 90 days after introduction.
http://www.lanl.gov/news/images/avianflu.shtml
Well I agree with the advise, however, how did 5 different unrelated viruses suddenly evolved into one place upon this earth.
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