SHOCK! Epidemic of pneumonic plague in Ukraine? (updated at 05:39 pm)

To: vanilla swirl

TWIN TOWERS CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
Address: 450 BAUCHET STREET City: LOS ANGELES

441 posted on 11/19/2009 2:13:03 PM PST by AdmSmith

To: hennie pennie; Uncle Ike

This is the newest info on Ukraine , I tried to put it all in one ping , I copied & pasted from PFI and the link is below

http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewforum.php?f=1

From what I understand is that with the release of the Ukraine squences it is bad news . Here’s what was posted , and discussed at PFI about the sequences ( link above )

Monotreme
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 17849
Location: USA
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:29 am Post subject: Re: All Deceased Ukraine Patients at GISAID have D225G

curious wrote:
Monotreme wrote:
niman wrote:
A/Khmelnitsky/1/2009
A/Ternopil/19/2009
A/Ternopil/11/2009
A/Ternopil/6/2009
A/Ternopil/5/2009
A/Lviv/N6/2009*#
A/Ternopil/N11/2009*#
A/Ternopil/N10/2009*#
A/Lviv/N2/2009*#
A/Kyiv/N1/2009

* D225G
# Deceased

Well, this is not good.

What does this mean?

A specific mutation is associated with death. If the H1N1 variant with this mutation becomes more common, the case fatality rate may increase markedly.

Medical Maven

Joined: 02 Dec 2006
Posts: 4756

Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:37 am Post subject: Re: All Deceased Ukraine Patients at GISAID have D225G

* D225G
# Deceased

Well, this is not good.

What does this mean?

D225G is increasingly becoming a part of the Swine Flu mix that is present out there, and as it gains more prevalence, (which it is showing signs of doing), it will cause even more deaths, sudden deaths, “hemorrhagic pneumonia” deaths##################################..............

And now if it somehow gains a little more transmissibility along with the environmental advantage of Winter, we will have ourselves “1918”, or worse.
_________________
The longer you can hold out,
the better your chances.

Forget the Grid. It will be Gone!

All Fatal Ukraine Cases at GISAID Have RBD D225G
Recombinomics Commentary 14:17
November 19, 2009

The patient data associated with the 10 Ukraine isolates sequenced by Mill Hill and deposited at GISAID has been updated with demographic information, suggesting that the samples were from 10 individuals and four of the samples were from deceased patients. These are the same four samples that have D225G (see list below). This association suggests that swine H1N1 with D225G is more aggressive and is cause for concern.

As noted earlier, D225G has been appended onto multiple genetic backgrounds via recombination, and the data from Ukraine adds further support. Samples from Ternopil and Khmelnitsky (see updated map) have a regional marker that is found in swine but no other human isolates. This marker is on all 6 Termopil isolates, indicating it was an early acquisition, but only the two fatal cases have D225G indicating it was appended onto the Ternopil genetic background. However, it is also found in the two fatal cases from Lviv, which do not have the regional marker. Similarly, earlier isolates with D225G represent distinct genetic backgrounds with D225G.

It was the jumping of D225G that allowed for prediction of the marker in Ukraine prior to release of the sequences by Mill Hill. This type of jumping has been described in detail for H5N1 and seasonal H1N1. This type of jumping via recombination and identification of markers that make frequent jumps are the underlying concepts that allow for the D225G prediction.

However, it is likely that D225G jumps will continue and the lethal marker will spread via Ukraine-like viruses, as well as virus that acquire D225G by recombination. Moreover, the absence of D225G in the nasal washes may signal mixtures of H1N1, with wild type dominating in the upper respiratory tract, and versions with D225G being expressed at highest levels in the lung, leading to false negatives in nasopharyngeal swabs, and cytokine storms in lung tissues where the aggressive virus with D225G is at high concentrations.

A/Khmelnitsky/1/2009
A/Ternopil/19/2009
A/Ternopil/11/2009
A/Ternopil/6/2009
A/Ternopil/5/2009
A/Lviv/N6/2009*#
A/Ternopil/N11/2009*#
A/Ternopil/N10/2009*#
A/Lviv/N2/2009*#
A/Kyiv/N1/2009

* D225G

# Deceased

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11190901/Ukraine_Fatal_D225G.html
_________________
-——————————————————————————————Pixie
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 28866
Location: CT, USA
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:36 am Post subject:

Niman wrote:
Moreover, the absence of D225G in the nasal washes may signal mixtures of H1N1, with wild type dominating in the upper respiratory tract, and versions with D225G being expressed at highest levels in the lung, leading to false negatives in nasopharyngeal swabs,

So the presence of D225G may account for the repeated “negatives” we’ve seen in severe hospitalized cases, only to see them later test “positive” at autopsy.
Niman wrote:
...and cytokine storms in lung tissues where the aggressive virus with D225G is at high concentrations.

It would be very timely for those holding the sequences from fatal American cases that tested “negative” for H1N1 (sometimes repeatedly) but who tested positive at autopsy to release them.
_________________
Omnium rerum principia parva sunt. - Cicero

“If it goes to Egypt, Indonesia..it could turn into a very powerful H5N1 that is very transmissible
among people,” said Guan Yi..”Then we will be in trouble, it will be a tragedy.”

Further discussion on D225G at the Rhiza Labs forum:

http://fluboard.rhizalabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3123&start=20

Pixie
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 28866
Location: CT, USA
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:18 am Post subject:

Are any journalists going to ask about the D225G mutation at the next CDC press conference? Or are they just going to pretend that the Ukraine developments are of no import and throw Schuchat et al a softball and allow them to assert how well the vax program is going once again?

That mutation should be in Paris and Berlin by Christmas. CDC will not be able to ignore it.

Media Myths Cloud Joint Hearings on Pandemic Vaccine
Recombinomics Commentary 17:17
November 19, 2009

Look at Ukraine, for example, where public awareness went from “zero” this summer to “panic” this autumn. Late last month, politicians began to speak of mass illness and mass death. The government quarantined several provinces, shut down parliament and banned mass gatherings. When the dust began to settle last week, it appeared that, yes, there had been a small outbreak of swine flu, but also that, no, most of the people who got sick didn’t have the H1N1 virus. Swine flu death rates in Ukraine are no higher than those for flu or pneumonia in other years.

The above Ukraine comments are from a Washington Post story cited by Senator Joe Lieberman on the first day of joint hearings on the pandemic vaccine shortfall. He was “surprised” that there were an estimated 22 million cases in the United States and the emphasis was on shortfalls linked to over promises on delivery dates and amounts of vaccine.

However, the hearings failed to capture the events in Ukraine, which was deemed a “non-event” in the above piece by op-ed writer Anne Applebaum, even though the importance of Ukraine was hard to miss. Even the most casual observer could look at the WHO H1N1 updates and see that some in Ukraine was attracting significant attention. WHO began issuing updates last April, when H1N1 was discovered in patients in Mexico and the United States. Thus the first two updates named the two countries in the title. However, subsequent updates were just number, with no county named. Initially these updates came out daily and then settle down to one update a week. The 72nd update was on Oct 30, but two days later a new update was issued on Ukraine. Another Ukraine update was issued on Nov 3 Two days later a second Ukraine update was released and on Nov 17, the date of the above article a third Ukraine update was issued.

In addition to media reports quoting WHO spokesperson, Ukraine also came up in WHO weekly teleconferences on Nov 5 and 12. These notices were carefully worded to exclude large changes in the virus, but left open small changes, including receptor binding domain changes. Such changes were of interest because hundreds of patients had died at a rate and level markedly higher than any other European country, and the descriptions of the fatal cases were detailed, noting severe hemorrhage, as well as the total destruction of both lungs. Patients had been arriving at emergency departments coughing up blood and dying within a few days. Moreover, most of the patients were previously healthy young adults.

The gruesome descriptions and the large number of fatal cases led to wild speculation by conspiracy theorists on one hand and media and political reports such as the one above, claiming that the Ukraine outbreak was small and not unusual.

However, the careful wording of WHO updates clearly left open the possibility of small changes including the receptor binding domain and the D225G change had been predicted, based on the high number of fatalities involving lung hemorrhaging and disintegrating.

Yesterday, the sequences from 10 isolates were released at GISAID by Mill Hill and the predicted change, D225G was confirmed. This change had been “in play” and was appearing on multiple H1N1 genetic backgrounds signaling recombination and selective advantage. The recent update of demographics for the 10 patients demonstrated that the four isolates with D225G were the four patients who had died, further raising concerns that D225G on a Ukrainian H1N1 background, or other H1N1 backgrounds could lead to more severe cases and deaths. Moreover the same change had been observed during the 1918-1919 pandemic, which also involved swine H1N1 jumping and adapting to humans.

Thus, the genetic change(s) in H1N1 in Ukraine is of considerable concern, media reports and Senator comments, notwithstanding

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11190902/Hearings_MM.html

Pixie
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 28866
Location: CT, USA
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject:

Auburn Boy wrote:
Is it possible that the D225G could develop in vivo and not be a transmissible sub-type?

It’s spread to a bunch of people in a bunch of places. I’d say that’s de-facto evidence of transmissibility.

My guess is that we’ll next see it appear in Poland, Czech., Bulgaria, the Baltic states, Germany, as it continues to transmit and moves west.

niman

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 3290

Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:14 pm Post subject: Random Mutation Nonsense

Monotreme wrote:
Auburn Boy wrote:

Is it possible that the D225G could develop in vivo and not be a transmissible sub-type?

It is possible that D225G developed as an adaptation to the lungs. That may or may not affect its transmissibility.

Right. Suddenly there are multiple independent random mutations on one background in Brazil and another background in Spain, and another in China, and another in Sydney, and two backgrounds in Ukraine. Its all just a coincindence when each of these isolates has ONE change and that ONE change happens to be the same change, D225G, is the one that is PREDICTED.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11090902/Ukraine_1918.html

1918 RBD Polymorphsm in Ukraine H1N1?
Recombinomics Commentary 04:22
November 9, 2009

The recent explosion of H1N1 cases in Ukraine (see map) has focused attention on sequences linked to the outbreak, especially those in the lungs of patients who developed a cytokine storm. This hemorrhagic pneumonia has been described previously in other fatal swine flu infections, but that rapid increase in reported deaths in Ukraine has raised concerns that the virus is transmitting more efficiently, or is replicating at higher levels in lung tissue.

These changes are frequently linked to changes in the receptor binding domain (RBD) in the HA protein. Changes in this domain can affect affinity for receptors and also modify tissue tropism. The recent expansion of seasonal H3N2 with M2 S31N was linked to two changes in or near the receptor binding domain, S193F and D225N.

Recent isolates from Sao Paulo, Brazil, collected from necropsy tissue from fatal cases had two changes at position 225. Two of the isolates, A/Sao Paulo/53845/2009 and A/Sao Paulo/53838/2009) had D225N (see list), the same change seen in seasonal H3N2. Interestingly, the swine H1N1 is a triple reassortant with flu genes from swine, humans, and birds. The human gene is PB1 and it was acquired in swine infected with a human H3N2. The initial isolates had three human genes, the H3 and N2 as well as the PB1. Thus, the prior association of the human PB1 in isolates with human H3,may increase the advantage offered by D225N.

However, two other isolates from Sau Paulo, A/Sau Paulo/53225/2009 and A/Sau Paulo/53206/2009, collected from the lungs of fatal cases, had another change at position 225, D225G. This polymorphism is more widespread and recent isolates have been found in Japan, Spain, and China (see list ). Moreover this polymorphism has been found in two isolates from the 1918/1919 pandemic, A/New York/1/1918 and A/London/1/1919. Thus, in 1918 the H1N1 virus usually had a D at position 225, but some of the later isolates had D225G, which parallels the data from the 2009 swine H1N1 isolates.

These RBD changes in recent isolates from Sao Paulo, as well as the presence of D225G in sequences from 1918/1919 raise concerns that the swine H1N1 is adapting to its human host by acquisition of RBD polymorphisms.

The explosion of cases in Ukraine, and delays in the release of sequences from fatal cases in Ukraine is a cause for increasing concern. Recent accelerations of deaths have been widespread across the northern hemisphere, raising concerns that receptor binding domain changes described above, as well as a third polymorphism at position 225, D225E, (see list) are gaining traction as the swine H1N1 adapts to human hosts.

An update on the Mill Hill sequences and deposit of such sequences at a public database such as GISAID, where Mill Hill recently deposited sequences from Europe, would be useful.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11090902/Ukraine_1918.html

niman

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 3290

Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:10 pm Post subject: Don’t Think So

Auburn Boy wrote:
Pixie wrote:
Auburn Boy wrote:
Is it possible that the D225G could develop in vivo and not be a transmissible sub-type?

It’s spread to a bunch of people in a bunch of places. I’d say that’s de-facto evidence of transmissibility.

My guess is that we’ll next see it appear in Poland, Czech., Bulgaria, the Baltic states, Germany, as it continues to transmit and moves west.

It’s been “detected in a bunch of people.” That does not mean it spread amongst them.

If it is a polymorphism that is developed in the lungs, and is only detected in necropsy samples, it’s a different situation than a transmissible, “stable” (dare I use the word “stable” here..,) mutant.

I’m not asking the question to diminish the seriousness of the mutation in pathogenicity, just to see if there are any ideas as to it’s source.

It potentially could be an “in vivo” development, still be highly pathogenic, but not transmissible.

The idea that the same change, D225G, is appearing at the same time on multiple H1N1 backgrounds is well into the handwaving/wishful thinking category. The idea that the four cases in Ukraine (which have ONE HA change at the protein level on HA) all happened independently is beyond silly.

D225G Lung Tropism Driving H1N1 False Negatives?
Recombinomics Commentary 23:17
November 19, 2009

The recently released H1N1 Ukraine sequences by Mill Hill provide additional insight into the evolution of H1N1. Ten isolates were sequenced, including HA from all 10. Four had the predicted receptor binding domain change D225G, which has been found on multiple H1N1 genetic backgrounds. All four of the sequences with D225G were from the four fatal cases. Although it is possible that there are two distinct H1N1 viruses in circulation, it is more likely that the virus is present as a mixture and those with higher concentration of D225G produce high concentrations of virus in lungs, leading to cytokine storms and deaths. Isolates with mixed signals coding for position 225 in H1N1 have been deposited at Genbank, supporting the mixture hypothesis.

These mixtures could be generating false negatives in cases where the level of D225G is high. Virus with D225G would quickly move to the lower respiratory tract and the low levels of wild type in the upper respiratory tract would be clear by the host’s immune response. These patients would be infected and seriously ill, but the reduction or absence of virus in the upper respiratory tract would test negative. The CDC has warned that rapid tests have a sensitivity of 10-70% . Thus, in some circumstances only 10% of H1N1 infected sample test positive. This low sensitivity seems to be somewhat linked to H1N1 samples.

The negative data would lead to more testing for other respiratory viruses, which may explain the data reported for rhinoviruses in the Philadelphia area. No unusual strain has emerged, suggesting that the viruses may simply represent opportunistic infections associated with the H1N1 infection that is testing negative.

The detection of such opportunistic infections is similar to results generated when SARS first emerged. Since there was no direct test for the SARS CoV initially, many additional tests were run, and different labs would find different candidate respiratory viruses. However, after the SARS CoV was discovered and developed into a diagnostic test it was clear that SARS was cause by SARS CoV and the other viruses were just opportunistic passengers.

The rapid movement of influenza virus to the lungs has parallels with the H5N1 outbreak in Turkey in late 2005/early 2006. In that outbreak another receptor binding domain change, S227N was predicted and it was found in the first confirmed H5N1 cases. However, the index case had initially tested negative, as did his sibling, on nose and throat swab. H5N1 was confirmed from lung samples in each case. However, that infection also appeared to involve mixtures. Although the index case was positive for S227N, his sister was negative. Eventually 4 sequences were released and one of the two subsequent isolates also had S227N, further suggesting that mixtures were in circulation and collection/isolation issues determined if S227N was detected.

A tissue specific D225G in swine H1N1 could be generating higher frequencies of false negatives if the ratio of D225G to wild type was high.

More testing of post-mortem samples would be useful to better understand the true level of D225G in circulation.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11190903/D225G_False_Neg.html

442 posted on 11/19/2009 6:26:00 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

We’ll have to see if this D225G thing really leads to anything material. I hope not. Niman has a pattern of crying wolf — an EOTWAWKI kind of wolf — repeatedly and at the drop of a hat (or a mutation).

443 posted on 11/19/2009 6:43:30 PM PST by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture)

I appreciate your comment . I really don’t know very much about sequences etc.. . I just tried to copy & paste from PFI anything on Ukraine that might be relevant or interesting . I hope D225G doesn’t become widespread either . I read , and post so many conflicting articles . My wish is that it would all go away ASAP !

Thanks , I really appreciate your input :)

444 posted on 11/19/2009 6:48:48 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

Ukraine

12 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the total is now 354.

http://www.moz.gov.ua/ua/main/press/?docID=14150

445 posted on 11/19/2009 7:50:38 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

Ukraine

In Ternopil abolished quarantine
19/Nov/09

Today, 19 November, in Ternopil abolished quarantine. On Monday, November 23, restored the learning process in educational institutions in the city. The decision adopted city emergency anti komisiya.Yak chief state sanitary doctor of Ternopil Vladimir Panychev, as of November 19 intense sickness rate of ARI and influenza in the city of 54.16 patients per 10 thousand population (in the same day last year - 63 , 66).

According to him, the dynamics of reducing the incidence observed in Ternopil, during the same period, improving the epidemiological situation, and the expiration of the quarantine, declared at the state level, there is reason to terminate the restrictive measures of the schools and other institutions.

Panychev also stressed that a return to the city a large number of students would definitely increase the incidence, so schools should continue to adhere to preventive mode. According Panycheva, effective prevention against influenza is vaccination.

Recall quarantine in the Ternopil region, as well as eight other western regions, it was announced on October 30. Recall, according to the Ministry of Health since the beginning of the epidemic in the region, 22 people died.

http://ua.korrespondent.net/tech/1019561

446 posted on 11/19/2009 7:52:23 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

Ukraine

Ukraine won and bought over 600 thousand packages of Tamiflu
19/Nov/09

In Ukraine today delivered to about 615 thousand packages of the drug Tamiflu. Told the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the country Alexander Bilovol.Za him, 64 thousand packages of Tamiflu amount received as humanitarian aid from the World Health Organization and other purchased by the state budget of Ukraine.

In turn, Director of the Department of Regulatory Policy in trafficking drugs and medical products MH Yuri Konstantinov said that the state budget funds zakupovuvavsya drug Tamiflu at a cost of 251 hr. per package.

Bilovol also said that the Ministry of Health has approved the procedure that ensures patient access to the drug Tamiflu.

“The Minister of Health confirmed its order appropriate procedure by which a patient receives Tamiflu immediately when the diagnosis. This was communicated to all regional health administration, health care institutions”, - he said.

Chief sanlikar also explained that if the patient asked the family doctor or the emergency ambulance called, and when the examination was diagnosed influenza illness, the patient should immediately receive the drug Tamiflu.

This Bilovol noted that the approved special order cost accounting of the drug to avoid any speculation and nedobrosovisnosti.

Bilovol stressed that the drug Tamiflu, which was purchased by the state budget and received from WHO, available only in the medical health care.

However, he noted that this drug has also procured in pharmacies due to commercial deliveries, because it is one of the binding of drugs to be available in pharmacies.

As reported today, 19 November, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine has confirmed 225 cases of influenza A/N1N1 of them - 17 fatal.

http://ua.korrespondent.net/tech/1019575
_________________

447 posted on 11/19/2009 7:53:16 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

1918 RBD Polymorphsm in Ukraine H1N1?
Recombinomics Commentary 04:22
November 9, 2009

An update on the Mill Hill sequences and deposit of such sequences at a public database such as GISAID, where Mill Hill recently deposited sequences from Europe, would be useful.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11090902/Ukraine_1918.html

448 posted on 11/19/2009 8:02:33 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

Ukraine

In Ukraine, the number of deaths from influenza and ARI increased to 354 people
19/Nov/09

Total in the country awarded 1 million 540 thousand 514 cases
In Ukraine, the number of deaths from influenza and ARI increased to 354 people for the last day 12 people died.

This is the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

According to the department, the only country vidznacheno1 million 540 thousand 514 cases, 88 thousand 744 people hospitalized.

Epidemic threshold in Vinnitsa, Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Luhansk, Lviv, Rivne, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi region, as well as in Kiev.

Before November 19, Deputy Health Minister Vasyl Lazoryshynets during a press conference in Kiev said that the Ministry of Health of Ukraine confirms 225 cases of influenza A/N1N1 of them - 17 fatal.

http://ua.korrespondent.net/tech/1019629

449 posted on 11/19/2009 8:30:13 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

To: Broker; Uncle Ike

Those former USSR bio-engineers just can’t contain their research is it? Listen, their bugs are loose!!!!

Fixed it for you!

Reference Link:

Baxter is the only flu vaccine manufacturer to work with wild type flu viruses, felt to be more dangerous than the altered and attenuated (weakened) viruses other manufacturers use.

The company uses what are known as BSL3 level precautions in all its vaccine research facilities, Bona said. (Researchers at the U.S. CDC use BSL3-plus biocontainment when working with H5N1 viruses, a spokesperson for the agency said.) People familiar with biosecurity rules are dismayed by evidence that human H3N2 and avian H5N1 viruses have somehow co-mingled in the Baxter research facility. That should not be allowed to happen, a number of experts insisted.

The company isn't shedding much light on how it did. "It was a combination of just the process itself (and) technical and human error in this procedure," Bona said. When asked to elaborate, he said to do so would give away proprietary information about Baxter's production process.

Baxter's error is reminiscent of a 2005 incident in which a U.S. manufacturer of kits used by laboratories to test their detection capabilities included vials of H2N2 virus in several thousand proficiency kits. H2N2, the virus that caused the 1957 pandemic, has not circulated since 1968 and is thought to be a prime candidate to cause the next pandemic. That mistake, discovered by Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory, set authorities around the world scrambling to retrieve and destroy the vials of virus, which had been sent to labs in 18 countries.

And another:

The WTO says Swine Flu is similar to seasonal strains.

On November 3, it reported the outbreak in Ukraine, "confirmed (as) H1N1 (based on) samples taken from patients in two of the most affected regions," and concluded that "most (Ukraine influenza) cases are caused by the H1N1 virus.

Infectious disease expert, Dr. Donald Lau, disagrees, saying:

"The statistical probability of this being the same H1N1 virus (is) infinitesimally small." He believes a highly virulent new strain is to blame. Public health authority, Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz sees a deadly connection between governments and the drug cartel over dangerous, toxic vaccines. On You Tube, he recently warned that:

"These vaccinations contain highly unstable viruses that easily mutate, because they are 'live active' laboratory mutants that are being administered....People shed these 'live' viruses up to three weeks following vaccination. That means if you haven't been vaccinated, and you get near someone who has and then sneezes, you can get their H1N1 laboratory infection."

450 posted on 11/19/2009 9:07:43 PM PST by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)

Ukraine

Ukraine Flu Outbreak: Virus Is a Mixture of H1N1 and Parainfluenza, Causes Cardiopulmonary Failure
Interview with Dr. Victor Bachinsky

By Anna Yashchenko

Global Research, November 15, 2009
Unian News Agency (Ukraine), Russian original. Infowars Ireland (English translation) - 2009-11-14

[Translated from Russian, first published in English by Infowars Ireland]

Based on autopsies, we have come to the conclusion: it’s not pneumonia, but cardiopulmonary insufficiency and cardiogenic shock... The virus enters directly into the lungs, there is bleeding... Antibiotics should not be used...

Why do we have such a high mortality rate in the country?

Because people are going to pharmacies to get medicine instead of going to their doctors to be treated... No it is not pneumonic plague. It’s all nonsense... antibiotics do not help... Those with strong immune systems will survive. People with weak immune systems will succumb to the illness... Face Masks provide 30% extra protection. Wearing glasses gives an additional 10% protection, that is 40%, because the virus penetrates the mucose membranes.

The Head of the Chernivtsi regional forensic bureau, Professor Victor Bachinsky M.D. makes a strong statement: all the victims of the virus in Bukovina (22 persons aged 20 to 40 years) died not from bilateral (double) pneumonia, as previously thought, but as a result of viral distress syndrome, i.e. the total destruction of the lungs. We caught up with Professor Bachinsky, to find out how he came to this conclusion, and how people can protect themselves from this disease.

Professor, you said earlier that the virus, from which many people have died – is a mixture of types of parainfluenza and influenza A/H1N1. How do you cure this disease?

The question of how to treat this virus is not up to me. I am a pathologist. I just found out what it is and made an exact diagnosis. It is important to provide the correct treatment based on diagnosis.

There are strict protocols and standards of treatment in medicine. If a doctor treats a patient who dies, their relatives can make a complaint that they were not treated properly (misdiagnosed). The Ministry of Health has set the protocols and standards of treatment for each diagnosis. If diagnosed correctly, the treatment should be correct...

In the Chernivtsi region 18 people have died. We studied all the history and evidence from this disease, preclinical, clinical, resuscitation. When we perform an autopsy organs and tissues have histological studies (cell analysis) and we concluded that it was not pneumonia, and has no relation to pneumonia whatsoever.

These results are the foundation to ensure that doctors who treat this disease all over Ukraine, change their tactics and standards of care.

Can this new virus be cured?

It depends on the immune system. If a person’s immune system is strong, they will overcome it. There are people who carry this strain of H1N1 and remain on their feet and don’t even realise they are sick.

Antibiotics definitely should not be taken. Antibiotics are the reason we have such a high mortality and infection rate in this country, because people go to the pharmacy, describe their symptoms to the pharmacist and ask for drugs. They buy antibiotics, take them, this lowers their immune system and as a result they become sick. If prescriptions were required to buy these medications, like in other countries, this would not have happened. It is the ability to buy antibiotics over the counter without a prescription which has done so much harm to the State.

During autopsies, what did the lungs look like? Were they really black, which gave rise to so much talk of pulmonary plague?

No, they are not black... This is not pneumonic plague. It’s all nonsense. Pneumonic plague has a very different morphology. We have, for example, 60 thousand people who became sick and 23 have died. With pulmonary plague, we would now have a mortality rate of 59 thousand...

This is a viral attack that destroys the lungs.

It turns out that not only in Bukovina, but also throughout the Ukraine people did not die from pneumonia, but from this toxic strain?

Yes, It’s not pneumonia! This destruction of the lungs. This strain is very toxic, and if the immune system is weak, there is bleeding in the lungs. In the lungs there is a tiny structure – acinus, which looks like a bunch of grapes. When you breathe, oxygen enters this tiny “bunch of grapes” ( pulmonary alveoli ). On the surface of the acinus are the capillaries, where red blood cells saturate with oxygen and give blood, which supplies all tissues and organs in the body.

And once the virus enters the lungs – hemorrhaging begins immediately in the acinus. A continuous hemorrhage... It takes several hours. In the blood fibrin is formed, and from it – giolinovaya membrane, resembling a plastic bag. It envelops the acinus, and the person breathes in oxygen, but it is not transferred to the tissues. And people just gasp. There is a cardio-pulmonary insufficiency and cardiogenic shock. People die of cardiogenic shock. And there is no pneumonia. Pneumonia – an inflammation, which is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics cannot help at any stage. There should be absolutely different treatment.

And how about Tamiflu – does it help?

This is not an antibiotic, it is an antiviral drug, which should be applied on the second or third day of the disease. But you can not use Tamiflu as a preventitive, because it is toxic.

What are the best measures to resist the disease? Is it advisable to use a mask, garlic, vitamin C?

The primary method of prevention is a face mask. This give 30% extra protection. If you wear glasses [goggles] – it is 40%, because the virus enters through the mucous membranes.

It is necessary to improve the human immune system. Not only now, but in general. Garlic, onions, wild rose, viburnum (guelder rose), raspberries, citrus fruit, honey, and other fruits and vegetables – whatever you want. Those with a strong immune system will survive. Those with weaker immune systems will succumb to the disease.

We have a lot of people in Ukraine who like shopping at the open markets. If we can avoid open markets, the less people will be in contact with each other and more lives will be saved.

You have contacted the Health Ministry and advised them to review the standards for treatment of patients. What did they say?

We sent them all our data, the necessary protocols and standards of treatment, our diagnosis. But it is clear that decisions cannot be instantaneous.

And why until now has nobody else known about this disease? What were the leading specialists in the Ministry of Health doing all this time?

Perhaps this is due to the fact that there are scientists who are working on a purely theoretical basis. And there are scientists who have seen the autopsy results. I practice as head of the regional forensic bureau and as a professor. The fact that we have established this diagnosis – it is not just to my credit, and this is not my personal opinion. This is the opinion of specialists, morphologists and doctors in Bukovina. There are five professors in our group – I just head the group.

Professor Victor Bachinsky, M.D. is a coroner in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine. He also teaches at the Department of Anatomical Pathology and Forensic Medicine of Bukovynian State Medical Academy.

Original interview in Russian by Anna Yashchenko published by Unian: www.unian.net/rus/news/news-346721.html

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16088

451 posted on 11/20/2009 9:40:52 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

Commentary

Ukraine Dead Increase to 354 - Fatal H1N1 Cases Have D225G

Recombinomics Commentary 14:05
November 20, 2009
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200901/Ukraine_354.html

1,540,514 Influenza/ARI

88,744 Hospitalized

354 Dead

The above numbers represent the latest figures from the Ukraine Ministry of Health. The increase in deaths is 10, which is lower than recent increases and more Oblasts have fallen below the epidemic threshold, but Live still leads in daily increases in cases (from 114,211 to 118,256) suggesting the outbreak has moved east (see map). Similarly, Kiev recorded the largest increase in fatalities (14 to 18 ).

Recently, Mill Hill in London released sequences from 10 patients in Ukraine and most were in the areas hit hard at the beginning of the outbreak, Ternopil and Lviv. Four of the ten were sequences from deceased patients and all four had D225G, which was not present in the six HA sequences from patients who survived.

This correlation between the receptor binding domain change, D225G and fatal cases is cause for concern, and recent reports describe large increases in cases and fatalities in Poland, raising concerns that this change has significantly spread to the west of western Ukraine also.

452 posted on 11/20/2009 9:43:31 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

D225G in Fatal H1N1 Cases in Norway?
Recombinomics Commentary 14:05
November 20, 2009

Laboratory tests from 70 patients are examined, of which eight patients have died. Total is the mutation found in five of the patients. Two of them are dead, while the other three have been hospitalized with serious illness in intensive care units.

The new mutated virus thrives further down the respiratory system than the original. It shuts down the lungs of patients, which means more severe disease than the original virus, which first affects the throat and upper respiratory tract.

Since the new virus in the lungs and is only detected in patients who have been admitted to hospital, experts expect that it is less contagious than has affected most who are infected so far.

Both the vaccine and Tamiflu as a treatment will work also for this variant of the virus, “says director Geir Stene-Larsen at the NIPH.

The above translation suggests that D225G has been found in the lungs of dead and dying patients in Norway. An investigation into the excessive H1N1 deaths in Norway had been ordered and a news conference has been called to discuss the “mutation”. The description sounds like the D225G found in fatal cases in Ukraine.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200902/Norway_225.html

453 posted on 11/20/2009 9:45:46 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

Ukraine Cabinet committee decided not to revoke the highest risk of epidemic 20/Nov/09 State anti Commission under the Cabinet of Ministers confirmed the preservation As at 20 November the highest level of risk of epidemic in Ukraine. "Solution: The Commission is abolished, but confirmed the highest epidemiological risk, - chairman of First Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Turchinov. He noted that despite the improvement of epidemiological situation in most regions, you can not relax, because more can be several waves of the epidemic. This first vice-premier stressed that the Cabinet did everything to all hospitals and medical institutions were provided with necessary medicines. Turchinov also said that the committee decided to grant the right to continue or cancel the quarantine in higher education, as well as introduce or abolish anti Events Regional Commission, which should make this decision taking into account the views of regional sanlikariv. Recall that yesterday, November 19, Ministry of Health informed that in Ukraine the number of deaths from influenza and ARI increased to 354 persons. MOH also confirmed 225 cases of influenza A/N1N1 of them - 17 fatal. November 18, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on the stabilization of the epidemiological situation, and deputy chief sanitary doctor of Ukraine Lyudmyla Muharska forecasted that the second wave of influenza A/H1N1 in the country should be expected in December 2009 - January 2010, the third wave - fall 2010 . *** October 30 Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine introduced quarantine in 9 regions in connection with epidemic influenza А/H1N1. Furthermore, the Government introduced a ban on holding public events and holidays in schools for 3 weeks. http://ua.korrespondent.net/tech/1019888

454 posted on 11/20/2009 9:46:38 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

This is all the newest info on the mutation on fatal cases .

Also WHO reports mutation in Norway

I tried to include all the info in 1 ping

Commentary

Ukraine Dead Increase to 354 - Fatal H1N1 Cases Have D225G

Recombinomics Commentary 14:05
November 20, 2009
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200901/Ukraine_354.html

1,540,514 Influenza/ARI

88,744 Hospitalized

354 Dead

D225G in Fatal H1N1 Cases in Norway?
Recombinomics Commentary 14:05
November 20, 2009

Since the new virus in the lungs and is only detected in patients who have been admitted to hospital, experts expect that it is less contagious than has affected most who are infected so far.

Both the vaccine and Tamiflu as a treatment will work also for this variant of the virus, “says director Geir Stene-Larsen at the NIPH.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200902/Norway_225.html

Norwegian scientists raise concerns about mutated form of swine flu
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/20/AR2009112001820.html

In a statement, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said the mutation “could possibly make the virus more prone to infect deeper in the airways and thus cause more severe disease.”

Scientists have analyzed about 70 viruses from confirmed Norwegian swine flu cases and found the mutation in only those three patients, Geir Stene-Larsen, the institute’s director general, said in the statement.

“Based on what we know so far, it seems that the mutated virus does not circulate in the population, but might be a result of spontaneous changes which have occurred in these three patients,” the statement said.

The institute has been analyzing H1N1 virus from “a number of patients as part of the surveillance of the pandemic flu virus,” the statement said. “The viruses have many similarities, but some mutations have been observed.”

While the existence of mutations is normal, and most “will probably have little or no importance,” the statement said, “one mutation has caught special interest.”

The two patients who had the mutation and died were the first swine flu fatalities in Norway. The third patient found to have the mutated form of the virus also became severely ill.

According to the institute’s statement, the change in the virus did not appear to impair the efficacy of the vaccine or antiviral treatment

Norway Reports Mutated H1N1 Virus

NOVEMBER 20, 2009, 11:44 A.M. ET
By BETSY MCKAY
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125873506353457595.html

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said Friday it has identified a mutated form of the H1N1 flu virus in two patients who died, and a third who developed a severe form of the disease.

In a statement posted Friday on its Web site, the institute said the mutation appeared to make the virus cause infection deeper in the respiratory system, thereby causing more severe disease. The two patients who died were the country’s first confirmed fatalities.
-——————————————————————————————Swine Flu Cases in Norway Show Mutation, WHO Says

Last Updated: November 20, 2009 11:33 EST
By Michelle Fay Cortez
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=acB0Piy3IMds

Commentary

H1N1 D225G in Russia Raises Pandemic Concerns

Recombinomics Commentary 17:05
November 20, 2009
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200903/Russia_D225G.html

A new sequence from Russia, A/Vladivostok/1/2009, was just placed on deposit at Genbank. The HA sequence has D225G which has come into focus because it was in all four fatal cases from Ukraine. This polymorphism has also been in recently released sequences from Australia and China. Although the date of collection for the Russian sequence was not included its recent appearance adds to concern that D225G is becoming more common, as death rates throughout the northern hemisphere increase.

Moreover, today Norway is holding a news conference on a “mutation” found in dead or dying patients, which may also be D225G.

The detection of this change may be more frequent in necropsy lung tissues.

Release of sequences from such samples would be useful. The D225G has been found on multiple genetic backgrounds, indicating it is spreading via recombination.

Large Tamiflu Resistant Cluster in Wales UK

Recombinomics Commentary 17:50
November 20, 2009
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200904/H274Y_Wales.html

The cases have been reported among nine patients in a hospital in Wales. Five cases are “known to be resistent to oseltamivir”, the generic name for Tamiflu, the HPA said today in an e-mailed statement.

The above comments describe a large cluster of Tamiflu resistant swine H1N1 in a hospital in Wales. Earlier reports had described resistance in 2 immuno-compromised patients, but the updated report of 5-9 patients leaves little doubt that the virus is transmitting human to human. All prior examples of resistance in swine H1N1 involved H274Y, which is almost certainly the case for this outbreak. Previously there have been multiple reports of clusters of two, including recent outbreak in Edinburgh, and this large outbreak raises concerns that H1N1 with H274Y will become far more common.

Although prior cases were said to be due to “spontaneous mutation, by Roche and agency reports, there was little data to support that conclusion. All resistance involved the same change, H274Y, on multiple H1N1 backgrounds and appearance was too soon to support a spontaneous origin. Instead the rapid appearance supported circulation of H274Y as a minor population which was below detection limit in the absence of Tamiflu selection, but rapidly appeared after treatment. The appearance of 5-9 cases at the same facility indicates the detected H274Y was not due to independent mutations and reinforces concerns that H274Y is widespread and efficiently transmitting.-

Ukraine

7 fatalities in the last 24h, the total is now 362.

http://www.moz.gov.ua/ua/main/press/?docID=14160

D225G in Fatal H1N1 Lung Cases in Norway and Ukraine
Recombinomics Commentary 16:05
November 20, 2009

WHO says same mutation (at 222 on the HA) seen elsewhere, sometimes in fatal, other times in mild cases. Signifi of change unclear.

The above comment from a Helen Branswell tweet indicates the polymorphism in Norway is position 222, which would correspond to position 225 using H3 numbering.

Although there have been examples of D225N, D225E, and D225G, the recently released sequences from Ukraine were D225G and associated with fatal lung infections and D225G is clearly “in play”, using recombination to jump from background to background in Brazil, Australia, China, Spain, Japan, and Russia.

Therefore, the “mutation” in Norway is also almost certainly D225G.

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200905/D225G_Norway_Ukraine.html

Mutation found in Norway swine flu virus

21 November 2009 | 07:06:09 AM | Source: AAP
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1136987/Mutation-found-in-Norway-swine-flu-virus

The World Health Organisation says a mutation had been found in samples of the swine flu virus taken following the first two deaths from the pandemic in Norway.

.”The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has informed WHO of a mutation detected in three H1N1 viruses,” the WHO said in a briefing note on Friday.

“The viruses were isolated from the first two fatal cases of pandemic influenza in the country and one patient with severe illness,” it said, although it added that no further instances were found in tests.

The WHO revealed that a similar mutation had been observed in Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine, and the United States as early as April, but underlined that there was no evidence of more infections or more deaths as a result-——

-——————————————————————————————WHO assesses significance of H1N1 virus mutation in Norway

www.chinaview.cn 2009-11-21 06:38:46
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/21/content_12513573.htm

GENEVA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) — The World Health Organization (WHO)said on Friday that it was assessing the public health significance of a mutation of the pandemic H1N1 virus detected in Norway and some other countries.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has informed the WHO of a mutation of the H1N1 flu virus detected in two patients who died and one with severe illness.

In addition to Norway, the mutation has also been observed in Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine and the United States, with the earliest detection occurring in April, the UN agency said in a statement.

“The significance of the mutation is being assessed by scientists in the WHO network of influenza laboratories,” the statement said.

“Although further investigation is underway, no evidence currently suggests that these mutations are leading to an unusual increase in the number of H1N1 infections or a greater number of severe or fatal cases,” it added.

According to the agency, the virus with this mutation remains sensitive to the antiviral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, and studies show that currently available pandemic vaccines confer protection.

In addition, the mutations appear to occur sporadically and spontaneously. To date, no links between the small number of patients infected with the mutated virus have been found and the mutation does not appear to spread.

In a separate statement, the WHO said that the pandemic virus has thus far caused at least 6,770 deaths worldwide, of which more than 4,800 occurred in the Americas.

WHO Confirms D225G in Lung Cases in Norway and UkraineRecombinomics Commentary 23:50
November 20, 2009

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11200906/D225G_Norway_Ukraine_WHO.html

Norway reported finding a mutated virus in three people who died or were severely ill. The mutation, known as D222G on the receptor binding domain, allow the virus to grow deeper in the lungs.

The mutation does not appear to be circulating and may have spontaneously arisen in the three patients, said Geir Stene-Larsen, director of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Only 3 of Norway’s 70 tested samples had it.

Asked about that, Dr. Schuchat said the same mutation had also been found in mild cases in several countries, and it did not make the virus resistant to vaccine or to treatment with drugs like Tamiflu. She said she did not want to “underplay” it, adding that “it’s too soon to say what this will mean long term.”

The D222G mutation allows the virus to bind to receptors on cells lining the lungs, which are slightly different from those in the nose and throat. Henry L. Niman, a flu tracker in Pittsburgh, has been warning for a week that D225G - the same mutation under a different numbering system - has been repeatedly found in Ukraine, which is in the grips of a severe outbreak and where surprising numbers of people have died with lung hemorrhages - the kind of pneumonia that can be caused by an immune system’s “cytokine storm” attacking a new virus.

The above comments from the Donald McNeil update in tomorrow’s New York Times are the first direct acknowledgement that the receptor binding domain change in Norway and Ukraine are the same. Earlier the WHO had put out an update on the change in Norway and noted that a similar change had been seen elsewhere, and included Ukraine in the list of countries.

In earlier Ukraine updates WHO did not acknowledge any receptor binding domain changes, but the sequences released at GISAID by Mill Hill had D225G in four of the ten HA sequences, which precisely matched the four fatalities, raising concern that the previously described “destruction of both lungs” was driven by the acquisition of D225G. The group in Norway also found the change in dead or dying patients, further supporting a significant role of this change the the cytokine storm associated with this acquisition.

This change has been reported in a number of recently described cases including two fatal cases in Sao Paulo, a seriously ill case in China, and cases in Sydney, Australia and Vladivostok. The polymorphism had also been seen in earlier isolates in the United States, Mexico, Spain, and Japan.

The role of this change in fatal cases may be dependent on the viral load. The cytokine storm is precipitated by high levels of virus, and lower levels may produce milder disease.

The above report, noting the identity between Norway and Ukraine should lead to more detailed analysis of tissue samples from fatal cases, which may contain an increased frequency of D225G, a receptor binding domain change identified in 1918 and 1919 samples.

455 posted on 11/20/2009 10:07:55 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

WHO Assesses H1N1 Virus Mutation In Norway

2009, November 21 - VisitBulgaria.com

“According to the UN agency, apart from Norway, countries like Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine and the United States also detected the mutation sometime in early April.”

http://visitbulgaria.info/11885-who-assesses-h1n1-virus-mutation-norway#ixzz0XWAZDwM2

456 posted on 11/21/2009 8:03:07 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/11210902/D225G_1918.html

Commentary

1918 RBD D225G in Lung Cases in Ukraine and Norway
Recombinomics Commentary 11:29
November 21, 2009

For the two 1918 HA variants, the South Carolina (SC) HA (with Asp190, Asp225) bound exclusively alpha2-6 receptors, while the New York (NY) variant, which differed only by one residue (Gly225), had mixed alpha2-6/alpha2-3 specificity, especially for sulfated oligosaccharides.

The above description is from a paper analyzing receptor binding domain differences in sequences from the 1918 pandemic. The New York variant had D225G, the same change found in lung tissues from fatal swine H1N1 sequences in Brazil, Ukraine, and Norway. The above result clearly demonstrated a change in receptor specificity for D225G, which was present in A/New York/1/1918 and A/London/1/1919, demonstrating the same change I 1918 that has been described in 2009. Although WHO stated that this change was “not significant” in the Ukraine samples, it was associated with the fatal cases and is cause for concern. The concern was increased by the announcement from Norway indicating the same change was found in fatal H1N1 lung infections there also.

Although there have been comments that this change was “spontaneous” and did not spread, the finding of the same change in all four deceased patients in Ukraine from two distinct locations, indicates it did spread, as did the finding of the same change in multiple cases in Brazil and Norway. Although the concept of “random mutation” has been used to explain away the sudden appearance of the same polymorphism on multiple backgrounds, the appearance via recombination is a much stronger argument for the same change to appear at multiple locations at the same time.

The spontaneous mutation theory, which is the foundation of WHO policy and statements on significance of changes relies heavily on a “selection” component, arguing that the same change keeps appearing on different backgrounds because of string selection pressure. However, this same phenomenon was described for a silent mutation on H5N1, which offers no clear selection pressure. Similarly, a silent change was also found in seasonal H1N1 in sequences that had acquired the Tamiflu resistance marker, H274Y. Thus, these silent (synonymous) changes string argue against a coincidental spontaneous mutation, and instead argue that this acquisition is concurrently acquired because of a widespread common donor.

The concept of acquisition via recombination has serious implications for the current pandemic. It was used to predict the D225G change, in part because the change was “in play” and appearing in July/August sequences at increasing frequency, even though the H1N1 sequences represented different genetic backgrounds. Similarly the clusters of Tamiflu resistance in Wales and North Carolina are also driven by recombination, as happened when the identical change was acquired in H1N1 seasonal flu in patients who were not taking Tamiflu (oseltamivir).

Thus, the concept of recombination predicts that the D225G receptor binding domain change, and the H274Y Tamiflu resistance change, which continue to spread via recombination
_________________

457 posted on 11/21/2009 8:04:01 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

Thank You for your OUTSTANDING work on this!

458 posted on 11/21/2009 8:05:52 PM PST by REDWOOD99

Swine flu outbreak stirs panic, political discord in Ukraine

By Philip P. Pan
Washington Post / November 22, 2009
http://tinyurl.com/yjggxox
http ://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2009/11/22/swine
_flu_outbreak_stirs_panic_political_discord_in_ukraine/

KIEV - One night at the height of the panic over what people here call the California flu, as 24-hour news stations tracked a rising death toll and politicians speculated about a mystery lung plague, Ukraine’s prime minister rushed to the airport to greet a shipment of Tamiflu as if it were a foreign dignitary.

Not to be outdone, the president, a bitter political foe, dispatched a top aide to meet the plane, too.

459 posted on 11/23/2009 8:04:46 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

thanks , I’ve been busy . Will be up-dating soon. Thanks :)

460 posted on 11/23/2009 8:05:44 PM PST by DvdMom (Freeper Smokin' Joe does the avian / H1N1 ping list)

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