Posted on 04/29/2009 9:28:02 PM PDT by metmom
The swine flu outbreak continued to fan out across the United States on Wednesday, with confirmed cases now in 11 states and possible cases in several more -- though American deaths haven't become widespread despite the confirmation that a Mexican toddler who was visiting Texas with his family had died from the flu.
In California, dozens of Marines were confined after one came down with the disease. Some 100 schools were closed, and more might need to be shut down temporarily.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
And....
Instead of closing the border, Obama said, his administration had ramped up screening efforts and made sure needed medical supplies were on hand.
ARGH!!! How frustrating. Illegals can come over and get the free medical care that even we taxpayers can't get and they can't get in their own home country.
This is just so wrong on so many levels.
“Illegals can come over and get the free medical care that even we taxpayers can’t get and they can’t get in their own home country”
It is starting to get even scarier. Read this(was posted in another thread):
“A friend of mine on another board posted this email she received from her doctor in Texas. It’s sounding pretty scary to me”:
New Braunfels, TX
“After I returned from a public health meeting yesterday with community leaders and school officials in Comal County and Hays County, Heather suggested I send an update to my patients in the area, because what we are hearing privately from the CDC and Health Department is different from what you are hearing in the media. Some of you know some of this, but I will just list what facts I know.
- The virus is infectious for about 2 days prior to symptom onset
- Virus spreads more than 7 days after symptom onset (possibly as long as 9 days) (this is more unusual than ordinary flu)
- Since it is such a novel (new) virus, there is no “herd immunity,” so the “attack rate” is very high. This is the percentage of people who come down with a virus if exposed. Almost everyone who is exposed to this virus will become infected, though not all will be symptomatic. That is much higher than seasonal flu, which averages 10-15%. The “clinical attack rate” estimation from CDC and WHO may be around 40-50%. This is the number of people who show symptoms. This is a huge number. It is hard to convey the seriousness of this to those outside of the medical fields.
- The virulence (deadliness) of this virus is as bad here as in Mexico, and there are folks on ventilators here in the US, right now. This has not been in the media, but a 23 month old in Houston is fighting for his life, and a pregnant woman just south of San Antonio is fighting for her life. In Mexico, these folks might have died already, but here in the US, folks are getting Tamiflu or Relenza quickly, and we have ready access to ventilators. What this means is that within a couple of weeks, regional hospitals will likely become overwhelmed.
- Some of the kids with positive cases in Comal County have had more than 70 contacts before diagnosis as a minimum figure.
- There are 10-25 times more actual cases (not “possible” cases — actual), than what is being reported in the media. The way they fudge on reporting this is that it takes 3 days to get the confirmatory nod from the CDC on a given viral culture, but based on epidemiological grounds, we know that there are more than 10 cases for each “confirmed” case right now.
- During the night, we crossed the threshold for the definition of a WHO, Phase 6 global pandemic. This has not happened in any of our lifetimes so far. We are in uncharted territory.
- They are advising President Obama to declare an emergency sometime in the next 72-96 hours. This may not happen, but if it doesn’t, I will be surprised. When this happens, all public gathering will be cancelled for 10 days minimum.
- I suggest all of us avoid public gatherings. Outdoor activities are not as likely to lead to infection. It is contained areas and close contact that are the biggest risk.
- Tamiflu is running out. There is a national stockpile, but it will have to be carefully managed for law enforcement and first responders as it is not enough to treat the likely number of infections when this is full-blown. I don’t think there is a big supply of Relenza, but I do not know those numbers. If I had to choose, I would take Relenza, as I think it gets more drug to the affected tissue than Tamiflu.
- You should avoid going to the ER if you think you have been exposed or are symptomatic. ER’s south of here are becoming overwhelmed today— and I mean that — already. It is coming in waves, but the waves are getting bigger.
- It appears that this flu produces a distinctive “hoarseness” in many victims. The symptoms, in general, match other flu’s; namely, sore throat, body aches, headache, cough, and fever. What is not too common in regular flu cycles is vomiting and diarrhea which seems to be associated with this, further dehydrating victims. Some have all these symptoms, while others may have only one or two.
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine — a nutritional supplement available at the health food store or Wimberley Pharmacy, has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of influenza. I suggest 1200mg, twice a day for adults, and 600mg twice a day in kids over 12. It would be hard to get kids under 12 to take it, but you could try opening the capsules and putting it on yogurt. For 40 pounds and up, 300-600 mg twice a day, for less than 40 pounds, half that.
- Oscillococinum, a homeopathic remedy, has been vindicated as quite effective in a large clinical trial in Europe, with an H1N1 variant. You can buy this at Hill Country Natural Foods, or the Wimberley Pharmacy.
I will try to keep everyone posted if I have any new information. Meanwhile, don’t be afraid, stay informed and try to avoid infection. The fewer people infected the easier it will be for our public officials to manage it.
If any of my patients become ill, or suspect infection, call the office, do not come without calling and DO NOT go to the ER. If one member in a family is identified all would be given the Tamiflu or Relenza (that is normal course of action) if there is enough distributed to fill prescriptions. Public health stated that one family member identified or suspected to have contracted the flu it will require the whole family to be ‘quarantined’ in their own home until enough time has passed for the remaining household to have contracted it or be considered infection free ( 7 to 10 days per person). As another suggestion, if any member of the family is on routine medication- fill those prescriptions now. Have plenty fluids, Motrin, soups, etc available and make contingency plans in case your family is affected.”
114 posted on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:15:15 PM by battletank
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The incidence is probably higher than the government is letting on, and the thing to do in any epidemic (or potential epidemic) is to isolate the source of the epidemic. That’s Mexico. Tht’s why we need to close the border — so no one brings the disease into the US. Nobody comes in, nobody goes to Mexico.
However, history says that swine flu only kills about 1 percent of its victims. The 91 confirmed cases with (sadly) one confirmed death is about in line with historical precedent. So if you get it, you’re very likely to recover.
They may be understating the incidence but overstating the lethality.
Ping to post 3
So here we are. Woohoo!
And the only death was a toddler from Mexico who had other health issues, according to the article.
However, the information in post 3 is NOT encouraging.
What is the REAL reason? Those Tea Parties can't happen anymore if there is a risk of a crowd getting infected, isn't that right?
Sorry, I think it is clear at this point that Washington DC is only concerned about power, than doing what is right for American citizens .
My allergist told me once that a flu vaccine for any flu season confers a limited or partial immunity to other viruses for flu and colds because there is some similarity to all viruses. He said that it would not prevent other infections, but that it could lessen the severity of them.
I got a flu shot in Nov for this years predicted strain. Is there a chance that that vaccine could have some effectiveness yet against the swine flu virus? Just curious, in light of the suspected cases in CNY.
Obviously. The worse they can make this sound, the more luck they are going to have justifying imposing quarantines and martial law and socialized health care and medical rationing.
If this does become an epidemic or pandemic, first in Mexico and then northward, we can safely bet that our border state hospitals will be filled with illegals, and probably overextended when needed for citizens in those areas.
That one who died was a mexican boy who came to the US for treatment.
It is the Mexican flu. Unthoughtful language will make America go on a no pork diet.
Will Your Flu Shot Protect You Against Swine Flu?
Maybe some...
I get flu shot every year and it seems to stimulate my immune system. For example I caught a cold and only felt bad for two days, instead of a week. And I don’t catch everything that is going around.
The 1918 flu pandemic hit young adults the hardest because somehow it caused a good strong immune system to ravage the body. Young adults died at a higher rate than middle aged or very young people.
1918 flu:
Scientists have used tissue samples from frozen victims to reproduce the virus for study. Given the strain’s extreme virulence there has been controversy regarding the wisdom of such research. Among the conclusions of this research is that the virus kills via a cytokine storm (overreaction of the body’s immune system) which explains its unusually severe nature and the concentrated age profile of its victims. The strong immune systems of young adults ravaged the body, whereas the weaker immune systems of children and middle-aged adults caused fewer deaths.
I heard germs get into us through our eyes, we have no saliva, etc. to protect us there. Do not go shopping using shopping cart then touch your eyes. Most of the germs in the world on shopping carts. And you see little kids riding in them, bending over, and putting mouths on them.
Actually its H1N1 flu
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