Posted on 07/16/2009 12:47:08 AM PDT by myknowledge
A "worst case scenario" could see around 6,000 people die from swine flu across the country this season, Health Minister Nicola Roxon says.
Over 10,000 Australians have contracted the virus, 22 have died and almost 60 are in intensive care.
There were predictions yesterday that between 10,000 and 20,000 people could die from swine flu, but the Health Minister was quick to dismiss those numbers as "ludicrous".
Ms Roxon has told Radio National that projections show that if no action was taken against the disease, such as use of a vaccine and anti-virals, around 6,000 deaths would be expected.
"The 6,000 figure was agreed between all jurisdictions and advising health professionals," she said.
Yesterday infectious diseases expert Professor Raina MacIntyre, who is part of the influenza advisory group to Australia's chief medical officer Jim Bishop, said there could be up to 20,000 deaths from the disease.
But Ms Roxon says this is not correct.
"That simply is not based on the current information that we have about this particular disease," she said.
On average there are around 1,000 flu deaths in Australia each season.
On Tuesday Professor Jim Bishop said swine flu cases were expected to peak in August.
Pharmaceutical CSL will begin human tests next week of a vaccine it has developed after which it is expected over 20 million doses will be distributed in October.
In the UK it is likely a vaccine will be available in around a month but Ms Roxon says this is because they are not conducting human tests.
"I think we should be confident that we want to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective before we distribute it to a very big chunk of the population," she said.
However, Ms Roxon said if the virus "took a turn for the worse" the Government would consider fast-tracking the vaccine if appropriate advice was given.
She also said treating those with swine flu make take precedence over elective surgery as hospitals deal with the extra demand.
"It may well mean that some elective surgery or other procedures do have to be delayed for urgent attention to be provided to those who are having a severe impact from this flu," she said.
Although the swine flu is indeed, in my opinion, a manufactured 'bioweapon', comparing it to the Ebola virus is overkill. Totally over the top.
The probability of dying from the pandemic flu strain may be 1 in 10,000 cases and possibly as low as 1 in 100,000, doctors at the University of Otago in Wellington found. They applied four methods to calculate the proportion of fatal cases, and compared the results with an earlier estimate based on data from Mexico of 4 in 1,000.
Fatalities would be more common if the new A/H1N1 virus mainly affected the elderly, for whom flu usually poses the greatest risk, the scientists said in a study published in the journal Eurosurveillance last week. Gauging the pandemic’s ability to kill and cause serious disease is a key measure in assessing and determining how to respond to the threat, said co- author Michael Baker, an associate professor of public health at the university. .....
..... Doctors treating young people with severe viral pneumonia may see the pandemic as being “pretty nasty,” he said. "From the population point of view, it’s actually not looking quite so bad." .....
The MSM went nuts when then were 10 cases in this country. There have now been OVER 1 MILLION cases in the U.S. Very few deaths, very over-hyped.
No where near a million. The SRM (state run media) is over-hyping again.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm
“Health And Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, speaking from today’s flu preparedness summit, said on “Washington Unplugged” today that there are currently about 1 million cases of H1N1 flu transmitting throughout the United States.
“This disease has not gone away,” she told CBS News’ Bob Orr. “In fact, it’s spreading from state to state. We’ve got outbreaks in every state, in about 102 countries around the world.”
ping
Studies just came out a few days ago that said it is MORE lethal- able to reach lower lungs better than seasonal flu. IMO, it is worse than seasonal flu. On average. Especially if you are pregnant, obese or young and healthy.
Is this the same swine flu that was going around a few months ago, or is it a new variety?
According to what I've read, there are variations being identified. In Brazil for one I think I remember reading.
It was from Sydney. Apparently they are having quite a big problem with this version of the flu.
Remember it is winter and flu season there.
The commentator mentioned that Sydney is the swine flu capital of the world right now.
One team a few weeks back almost had to forfeit due to illnesses among the players.
The same swine flu, but a new strain could possible evolve.
It's very peculiar that the Elites and the MSM are pushing this so much. Does anyone have any theories as to why? It's usually obvious as in follow the $$, but I just don't know what the rats are up to with this hype.
All I know is that there is no way in h*** I'd take their sketchy vaccine.
The usual and the obvious... That's their version of the "War on Terror".
It's the nature of the beast. All bureaucracies have to make themselves relevant and important to self-perpetuate and sustain themselves. In other words, they have to appear "busy" and constantly "in action". If the [local / state / country / "global"] bureaucracy doesn't "take swift and strong measures" in response to "crisis," such as mobilization (warnings and readiness) and vaccination programs, then they are open to getting the blame and criticism for inaction and the "consequent" deaths and financial impact on businesses and tax revenues.
On the other hand, by hyping it they get more funding and can later congratulate themselves by taking credit for "containment" of the outbreak and how few deaths occurred because of their "swift and strong actions" while at the same time pledging continued vigilance against mutant strains of the virus... which requires more money and people.
“This disease has not gone away,” she [Sebelius] told CBS News’ Bob Orr. “In fact, it’s spreading from state to state. We’ve got outbreaks in every state, in about 102 countries around the world.”
That number - 102 countries - is what allowed them to classify it as "pandemic," not the severity or real consequences of H1N1, which are relatively mild by most, including seasonal, flu standards.
Just as "warming" or "climate change" must be "global" to become a scare "crisis" worth spending trillions of dollars for, so is a flu "pandemic". 5
Ahhh...It’s crystal clear to me now. Thank you for the well thought out explanation.
Sebilius is either using ObamaMath and/or is lying her ass off.
They’re going to use this flu outbreak for no-good.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7763
Australia is having an unusually bad flu season - but not an incredibly bad one. Just some years it’s worse than others and this is one of those years.
It’s not to an extent that most people would even notice unless they’d been told.
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