Posted on 04/29/2009 1:30:18 PM PDT by COUNTrecount
The World Health Organisation tonight raised the pandemic alert level to five out of six after the continued spread of swine flu world wide.
Margaret Chan, the organisation's director-general, said tonight: "I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5.
"Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world."
Making a call to governments, she said: "This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other industries, to the pharmaceutical industry and business industry that certain actions must be undertaken now with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace."
Related Links Swine flu – schoolgirl among new British cases WHO stops short of declaring swine flu pandemic Egyptian Christians riot after swine flu cull Multimedia Video: why such a killer? The 1918 flu pandemic She warned: "It really is all of humanity that is under threat in a pandemic."
More follows...
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
That’s, “Tripps.”
My daughter sent me an e-mail titled "Influenza Protection" One picture showed a man with a pair of panties upside down over his face and the other picture said "Couples Mask" It was a man and women with one side of the bra cups over their face.
I tried to figure out how to post it here but couldn't.
That's why they should shut the f'ing border. Every single person that comes across infected is another disease vector. Not a big deal with colds or standard flu, a big deal with this - because if it takes hold in the population there's no stopping it, and if it then mutates like the 1918 flu...look for millions of dead.
That's alarmist, but better to be safe than sorry. Shutting the border and a few other elementary measures won't cost much, being complacent about something with the potential that this has is very, very stupid.
I don’t really see evidence that many Freepers have fallen prey to propaganda- don’t see panic or whatever in the posts about it. All I see is the normal FReeper reaction to anything in the news- the desire to know more about it.
It does seem to be overblown and overhyped- and in some countries even more so than here. That itself makes me curious and makes me want to know more. I keep thinking- what is going on that we are we missing?
Confirmed case, Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio. That’s added to the confirmed cases (3?) in Guadalupe County, just to the north of San Antonio/Bexar County and several suspected cases in Comal County to the West.
Lovely.
Exactly!
I may be dense- and confess I know very little about this type of thing- but how do they know there is no immunity to this flu? If this flu is made up of several known virus' as it has been claimed I would think nearly everyone would have at least partial ummunity from being exposed to the virus' that make up this strain.
LMAO!!!
Thinking the same thing,
I don’t care who you are- that is funny!
I saw a post a couple of days ago that said we have brought down plagues or similiar by electing Obama- the financial mess, the flu mess- etc. I knew we were in a mess when he was elected, just didn’t know the half of it.
This is a key point, but also a question as to its truth. My first efforts seem to show that it tracks back to a possibly casual statement from a purported Mexican official. Our first reported death was a toddler -- most "confirmed" cases in the US seem to be in travelers from Mexico, none of whom, so far, seem to be life-threatening, or even in terribly serious condition.
I also notice that some accounts seem to say that the alleged "Ground Zero" in Mexico has no deaths.
The truth is that we just don't know enough yet to be terribly confident, though most of the reports lean to the less alarming side.
What would really start to worry me would be any of:
1. solid reports of a death within a few days of first symptoms;
2. quick contamination within a family where other get sick right after someone comes back from Mexico;
3. Actual rapid spread through a group or school. That is, as I read the first accounts, only 8 or so of some 80 at the New York school who had "flu" turned out to have the H1N1, and all of those had been to Mexico. If those "facts" aren't right, it would be more concerning.
CDC's field researchers are actually very good at this stuff, and i am sure are right now all over questions of who got it and who didn't from being in Mexico -- what type of "flu" do presenters have, etc. I'd be interested, but not overwrought, as of now.
You know they (CDC head) said today they’re quickly developing a vaccine. Seems like they’re jumping the gun. That worked out real well in 1976. /sarcasm
This today from the World Health Organization
Swine influenza - update 5
29 April 2009 — The situation continues to evolve rapidly. As of 18:00 GMT, 29 April 2009, nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The United States Government has reported 91 laboratory confirmed human cases, with one death. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (13), Germany (3), Israel (2), New Zealand (3), Spain (4) and the United Kingdom (5).
Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.
WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.
There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.
-PJ
“Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu...”
Obama associate and mentor Bill Ayers has been saying “Kill all Pigs” for quite some time. Guess he is a visionary.
Their website says it is by prescription. I don’t think you can get it ahead of time.
But didn’t fearless leader tell us not to worry as he continued playing his golf game on Sunday?
The man thinks being president is like recess in elementary school.
AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
one slap ata time!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.