Posted on 06/24/2009 8:04:24 AM PDT by metmom
Within minutes, six-year-old Rubjit Thindal went from happily chatting in the back seat of the car to collapsing and dying in her father's arms.
"If we had known it was so serious, we would have called 911,'' Kuldip Thindal, Rubjit's distraught mother, said in Punjabi yesterday. "She just had a stomach ache -- she wasn't even crying.''
Rubjit was pronounced dead at hospital barely 24 hours after showing signs of a fever. Later, doctors told her parents she had the H1N1 influenza virus. She is believed to be the youngest person in Canada with the virus to have died.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.guelphmercury.com ...
deaths: 186 in the United States, 119 in Mexico, 60 Argentina, 36 in Canada, 21 Chile, 11 in Australia, 7 in Great Britain, 7 in Thailand, 5 in Uruguay, 3 in Costa Rica, 3 in New Zealand, 2 in Colombia, 2 in the Dominican Republic, 2 in Guatemala, 2 in Paraguay, 1 in Brazil, 1 in Brunei, 1 in El Salvador, 1 in Honduras, 1 in the Philippines and 1 in Spain.
> “Australian health authorities say a 57-year-old man who contracted swine flu is the country’s 11th death related to the virus.”
> “Northern Territory Health authorities today announced the first H1N1 Influenza 09-related death has occurred in the NT. A male patient in his early 50s died at the Royal Darwin Hospital earlier today [...] The man’s death brings the national toll of H1N1Influenza 09-related deaths to 12.” (Australian Government)
> 2 people in Dewsbury (UK) have died after catching swine flu.
>> More than 95,000 cases in 119 countries (over 33,000 in the USA).
> 1st case of of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in Libya.
> 1st case of of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in Reunion (one of the overseas départements of France located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar).
> 1st case of of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in Turks and Caicos Islands (a British Overseas Territory, situated about 600 miles southeast of Miami).
> 2,485 cases of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in Argentina.
> 2,272 cases of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in Thailand.
> 1,111 cases of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in Singapore.
> 1,059 cases of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in New Zealand.
> 371 cases of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in France.
> 359 cases of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in Malaysia.
> 145 cases of influenza A H1N1 confirmed in India.
>> http://flu-h1n1.over-blog.com/article-33494306.html
>> French version : http://grippe-a-h1n1.over-blog.com/article-33493658.html
>> Sources : http://grippe-a-h1n1.over-blog.com/article-33493709.html
Our supreme leader hates Israel ...
The number of confirmed cases of swine flu neared 1200 on Tuesday, with 12 cases in intensive care units throughout New Zealand.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/07/07/1245bb759c69
There are now 1195 confirmed cases, but the Ministry of Health says the actual number of cases is likely to be significantly higher as only a small proportion of people with symptoms are being tested.
Deputy director of public health Fran McGrath said on Tuesday that 53 people are being treated in hospital for the H1N1 virus.
Those cases include a nine-month-old baby who is in Auckland’s Starship Hospital. A spokesperson for Auckland District Health Board says the hospital is not releasing any further information about the case, in accordance with the family’s wishes.
Dr McGrath says the number of people visiting GPs with flu symptoms is very high and 2000 people a day are calling the ministry’s free 24-hour telephone service Healthline for information.
Extra nurses are being recruited to handle the calls and Dr McGrath says people calling at busy times should be patient. The Healthline number is 0800 611 116.
Meanwhile, the mother of teenager Zachary Wilson, whose death has been linked to swine flu, is urging young people to seek help for symptoms.
Mr Wilson, 19, died at his father’s home in Hamilton on 28 June. His mother, who does not wish to be named, has released a statement urging young people to seek advice from a GP or the Healthline, if they need to.
Waikato District Health Board says Mr Wilson’s father had remained at home in isolation but tests have shown he does not have swine flu.
GPs cut back non-essential services
Some general practitioners are cutting back on non-essential services to cope with increased numbers of patients worried about swine flu.
The College of General Practitioners says GPs have been extremely busy with patients suffering from flu-like symptoms.
President Jonathan Fox says community-based assessment centres could take the pressure off GPs, and District Health Boards are constantly reviewing the need for them.
The Canterbury DHB is the only board so far to open an assessment
Music teacher dies with swine flu (Australia)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/07/2619424.htm
Tributes are being paid to the first Tasmanian to die with the swine flu virus.
Eileen Johnson, 85, was a well known piano teacher from Hobart.
She had asthma but was suffering from flu symptoms when she was admitted to hospital on Sunday.
Mrs Johnson died late yesterday afternoon, becoming the 13th Australian to die with the swine flu virus.
One of her friends Julie Rimes says Mrs Johnson was a lifelong learner who loved to pass on her vast knowledge of music.
“She was passionate about handing that on to even four and five year olds,” she said.
Acting Public Health Director Chrissie Pickin says the death is not cause for panic but she has urged people at higher risk of contracting the infection to report symptoms to their doctor within the first 24 hours.
“I think, [given] what we’re seeing internationally and in Australia, we may have more deaths in Tasmania over the next few weeks.” Dr Pickin said.
There are 118 confirmed cases of the virus in Tasmania but, so far this year, there have not been any deaths in the state from ordinary influenza.
Swine flu cases to double every three days in Wales
Jul 7 2009 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail
THE number of cases of swine flu in Wales is set to double every three days, experts have warned.
The prediction comes as it emerged that 132 people in Wales are now thought to be suffering from the virus.
Health Minister Edwina Hart last week said that the number of people with swine flu is doubling every week, but it now appears the virus is spreading faster.
Public health officials are no longer testing everyone who has flu-like symptoms, as Wales moves to the treatment phase of the pandemic.
Experts believe the virus will follow the same course in Wales as in the rest of the UK, where there were last week more than 7,500 confirmed cases of the virus.
Health officials yesterday said a nine-year-old child, from south London, who had “serious underlying health problems” had died after contracting swine flu.
A man and a child were also said last night to have died after contracting swine flu. The two are believed to be from the Kirklees area of West Yorkshire, and had “underlying health issues”.
They bring the total number of deaths of people with swine flu in the UK to seven.
Wales introduced a new swine flu surveillance system yesterday, which states that there are 4.4 cases of an influenza-like illness in every 100,000 people in Wales, equivalent to 132 people.
It is thought that the majority of these people will have swine flu.
It is understood that two pupils at Whitchurch High School, in Cardiff, are among those affected by the H1N1 virus.
But antiviral medicines will not be handed out to their friends or pupils who they have been in close contact with them.
And Cardiff Council, the local education authority, has said that the school will remain open.
The new data also reveals that there are officially “low levels” of flu in all regions of Wales and that the trend is stable.
Dr Roland Salmon, director of the communicable disease surveillance centre for the National Public Health Service for Wales, yesterday predicted that swine flu would reach epidemic levels in Wales by October.
This means that there would be 400 or more consultations about flu per 100,000 people in Wales, equivalent to some 12,000 cases.
But he said this depends on what happens during the summer – the school holidays could slow the virus down because it is unable to circulate among large groups of children, but travel could put more people in contact with the virus.
Some of the most recent cases to be laboratory-confirmed with swine flu in Wales are linked to travel in Australia, Spain and Mexico.
Dr Salmon said: “If this doubling of cases goes on, then we will see the number of cases that are usually associated with seasonal flu activity by the end of August [in the UK] and epidemic numbers in early September.
“Wales remains behind that, so that puts us in late September or early October.”
Dr Tony Jewell, Wales’ chief medical officer, added: “Scientific advice now is that there will continue to be a rise in the number of cases across the UK and, knowing the infection is circulating, we have moved to treatment rather than trying to slow the spread of disease.
“We are now relying on clinical symptoms for diagnosing the illness rather than laboratory tests. Some patients will still be tested as part of our monitoring to get more information about the virus.
“We are also stopping giving preventative medicine to people the patient has been in contact with, unless clinicians determine it is appropriate.
“The focus for anti-virals is for at-risk groups, those with chronic conditions, or pregnant women or those under five, and getting anti-virals to these groups within 48 hours to maximise their effectiveness.
“Healthy people with flu-like symptoms should stay at home, check their symptoms on the NHS Direct Wales website and, if they are concerned, phone their GP – not go to their surgery or A&E in case they spread the virus.”
Patient suspect Avian Flu Died
Tuesday, July 07, 2009, 12:49:00
Padang, Padek - bird flu threat still lurk Sumbar. A patient suspect HIN5 virus, origin Sungaibuluh, District Dharmasraya died.
Victim is known berinisial RK, 7.5, dies after treatment for five hours in space Isolation Irna C RSUP In Diseases Dr M Djamil Padang, Saturday (4 / 7).
The more surprising, a day after RK buried, a nurse in the room RK isolation experienced suspect bird flu. Nurses berinisial M is now in the middle of treatment room isolation Irna C RSUP In Diseases Dr M Djamil Padang. He showed symptoms of bird flu suspect.
“RK has been critical condition when entering RSUP Dr M Djamil Padang, Saturday (6 / 7), pukul 05.00 WIB. Only one five hours later, the patient died at around 10:00 WIB, “said Director General RSUP M Djamil Padang Aguswan, accompanied the Head of room Irna C Diseases In Emi Erawati to Padang Ekspres in space work, yesterday.
RK was undergoing treatment in hospitals Adnaan WD Payakumbuh, since Monday (29 / 6), the chance of being on holiday at her grandmother’s house. After that, the RK and then taken to the hospital Yos Sudarso Padang. “From the results of the rays lungs, showed symptoms of bird flu. Patient’s body temperature reached 37.5 centigrade accompanied by shortness of breath, “said Aguswan.
When referred to Dr M Djamil RSUP, the condition of the patient is not comfortable with the tool sadarkan bantu oxygen. Until now, Dr M Djamil RSUP Padang can not ensure whether the RK-positive bird flu or not.
“We are still awaiting results of the examination throat swab and a blood test sent to RK Labor MOH RI,” said Aguswan. Since 2006, Dr M Djamil RSUP handle the nine patients suspect bird flu from a number of areas in Sumatra, such as Padangpariaman, Limapuluh City, Agam and Dharmasraya. Previously, a patient suspect bird flu died years ago in 2007. (nia)
http://www.padangekspres.co.id/index.php?mib=berita.detail&id=8229
...
Family tell of grief after epileptic swine flu girl’s death as casualty toll reaches seven
Jul 7 2009 Lachlan Mackinnon
A GIRL of nine with epilepsy who caught swine flu died within 15 minutes of having a fit, it emerged yesterday.
Asmaa Hussain was diagnosed by her GP on the day of the tragedy.
He put her on a course of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu - but she hadn’t started taking the tablets before she died.
Officials said Asmaa, of Dewsbury, Yorkshire, is one of three new deaths of people with health issues who have caught the virus.
A second death in Dewsbury has been named locally as 42-year-old Abdullah Patel, who is thought to have had lung and kidney problems.
A nine-year-old girl in south London, who has not been named, has also died after contracting the virus.
Asmaa’s death is the second recent tragedy to hit the family - her father died of a heart attack two months ago.
Her uncle Ghulam Rasoo, 48, said: “She had been poorly for a long time and had been in and out of hospital before getting the flu for a couple of days.
“She had a fit on Thursday night and we tried to give her mouth to mouth until the ambulance came but she died.
“Blood was coming from her nose and mouth.
“She got the anti-flu drugs on the day she died but hadn’t started taking them.
“If she had swine flu, it didn’t seem particularly serious - no cough, no sweating, no nothing.”
A spokesman for NHS Kirklees - who cover Dewsbury - said: “It is with sadness that we can confirm a child from the Kirklees area, who had swine flu, has died.
“At this stage, we have no confirmation whether or not swine flu was the cause of death.”
Seven people in the UK - two of them in Scotland - have now died after catching the virus.
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07070901/H274Y_HK_Seq.html
Commentary
Hong Kong Tamiflu Resistant Pandemic Sequence Released
Recombinomics Commentary 06:57
July 7, 2009
The NA sequence from the Hong Kong teenager with oseltamivir Tamiflu resistance, A/Hong Kong/2369/2009, has been released. The sequence is clearly that of pandemic H1N1 and exactly matches (other than H274Y) the sequence of an earlier isolate A/New Jersey/1/2009. Similarly, the HA sequence is also swine and has two recently acquired polymorphisms, one of which is also in New Jersey/1/2009. Thus this sequence is in circulation and as was seen in the isolates in Denmark and Japan, the H274Y is appended onto a swine H1N1 background.
These results mimic that seen in seasonal flu, where H274Y was appended onto multiple seasonal flu background. The polymorphisms jumped from one background to the next, via genetic hitchhiking and recombination. Thus like seasonal flu, the pandemic H1N1 has no evidence of reassortment. The H274Y is on an evolutionarily fit H1N1 that will allow the H274Y to move about through the pandemic H1N1 gene pool. This movement will be facilitated by widespread Tamiflu usage, which will select minor populations as happened in Denmark and Japan, where H274Y was identified in patients receiving a maintenance dose of Tamiflu.
However, in Hong Kong, like the many examples of H274Y in H1N1 seasonal flu, the resistance is in patients not receiving Tamiflu. However, the lessons of H274Y in seasonal flu were not learned. Recent comments have described H274Y acquisitions through random mutation and reassortment. However, there has been no examples of recent seasonal H1N1 flu genes in the pandemic H1N1 sequences, and the H274Y in patients receiving Tamiflu likely represent selection of a minor population with H274Y that is silently spread. The release of the sequences from Denmark and Japan would be useful.
A(H1N1) : Health Ministry ready to face mitigation stage
by Karen Arukesamy
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=35475
PETALING JAYA (July 7, 2009) : In the wake of the fast-spreading A(H1N1) virus which has raised global concerns, the question now is how various sectors can respond to the pandemic in order to migitate its effects.
According to reports, influenza pandemics have occurred every 20 to 30 years around the world; in 1918 the Spanish Flu pandemic known as H1N1 caused some 40 to 50 million deaths globally, in 1957 the Asian Flu/H2N2 caused about a million deaths, and the Hongkong Flu/H3N2 of 1968 recorded a similar casualty.
“The influenza virus can keep changing and after a certain period it will develop into a new virus. Due to this, in 1995 the World Health Organisation (WHO) called on all the countries to develop a pandemic preparedness plan,” said the Health Ministry’s Disease Control Division director Datuk Dr Hasan Abd Rahman.
Malaysia came up with the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan (NIPPP) in 2005 and implemented it the following year.
Hasan explained that the pandemic can be tacked in various ways, such as
» medical intervention – antiviral drugs, vaccine, medical care and treatment;
» non-medical intervention – personal hygiene, quarantine, social distancing, risk communication and travel restriction; and
» for service sectors like security, food water supply, power supply, transportation, telecommunication, other essential services to have business continuity plans to protect their staff.“The new strain is a mix of human, avian and swine genes and is transmitted from human to human; and everyone is at risk due to absence of immunity,” he said.
He said the current containment phase approach in the country is effective; nevertheless the Health Ministry is ready to face the mitigation stage if the need arises.
“The transition from containment to mitigation phase is when there is clear evidence of beginning of widespread community transmission where there are a number of unlinked cases with no known epidemiological link to any known case,” Hasan said.
“It is a shared responsibility and we should not wait for the pandemic to impact everyone before we act,” he said.
About 80% of Malaysia’s cases are imported but this may change if there is an outbreak in the country, Hasan said.
“The aim now is to delay the spread of the virus in the community because if there is an outbreak and about 10% of the population is affected, there will not be adequate medical services to treat everyone,” he said.
Malaysia has not officially imposed travel restrictions to or from infected countries although WHO has declared that the pandemic is in phase six.
“In the mitigation stage the aim will be to reduce morbidity and mortality, to slow the spread of disease although it cannot be controlled completely and to minimise disruption to essential services,” Hasan said.
During this stage, there will still be disease surveillance conducted to identify the area of the outbreak, look out for clustering whether in particular communities, schools or groups.
“We would then establish the extent of spread to see whether the outbreak has only affected one street or others as well, or in a school whether only one classroom is affected or several others as well,” Hasan explained.
He said there will be constant monitoring of the changes in the natural history of the disease including severity as the virus can mutate and become more virulent.
“The medical laboratories will conduct random sampling for confirmation instead of testing case by case which is what we are doing currently,” he said
“Mixed Marks for Swine Flu Updates
Study finds wide variations in Web reports by states and municipalities”
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/07/07/mixed-marks-for-swine-flu-updates.html
..”After the U.S. government declared a public health emergency in April, 46 of 50 state health departments posted some information about the H1N1 outbreak within 24 hours of the federal announcement, according to Rand Corp. researchers.” [So, 4 states did not!]
“However, only a third of the 153 local health departments included in the study posted information on their Web sites within 24 hours of the federal announcement.
The researchers also found wide differences in performance among local health departments in the five states with
confirmed swine flu cases at the start of the outbreak — California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas.
About 73 percent of counties in California quickly provided some information on their Web sites, compared with
18 percent of counties in Texas and
eight percent of counties in Kansas.
The study also found that content posted by most state health departments was of high quality.
Forty-three of 47 state health departments provided information about how people could protect themselves or their family,
36 of 47 offered information about when to seek treatment and”
(only) “27 of 47 explained who should take antiviral drugs.
Among the other findings:
30 states provided information for health-care providers, with 14 posting their own information and 16 linking to information posted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Just over half of state health departments posted a news release, and nine provided information in languages other than English.
Of the 34 percent of local health departments that posted information on their Web site within 24 hours of the federal announcement of a public health emergency,
54 percent did this by linking to the CDC or their state health department Web site.
“We found that the capability to conduct basic crisis and emergency risk communication is quite good at the state level, but there remains significant variation at the local level”...
So, 66% of local health departments did not post information within 24 hours of a National Public Health Emergency announcement...
Better if they had polled the US public: to see whoever read the page for individuals on pandemciflu.gov
that’s been up since Oct.2005 and then ask local and state officials why so mum on Preparedness
Not getting any better, is it?
I dread the fall when it returns even stronger to the USA.
I was hoping with schools out that cases would go down :((
A Current thread with lot’s of H1N1 articles posted .
If you’ve got flu, you’ve got swine flu (Australia)
http://www.watoday.com.au/national/if-youve-got-flu-youve-got-swine-flu-20090708-dc9t.html
Julia Medew
July 7, 2009
Swine flu has become the dominant flu in Victoria, with research showing that 99 per cent of people testing positive for influenza have the H1N1 strain.
Head of epidemiology at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Heath Kelly, said that of the 73 people who tested positive for influenza at clinics monitoring flu viruses during the last week of June, 99 per cent had H1N1 swine flu. “It’s amazing, swine flu has taken over the flu season,” he said. “If you’ve got the flu, you’ve almost certainly got swine flu.”
The data, taken from 89 clinics participating in Victoria’s sentinel surveillance system, showed the proportion of people with influenza who tested positive for swine flu increased from zero during the last week of April to 60 per cent during the last week of May, to 99 per cent in the last week of June.
The research, published in an online edition of the Medical Journal of Australia yesterday, also showed the median age of Victorians with the virus was 18 to 22 years.
It came as Victoria’s deputy chief health officer, Dr Rosemary Lester, said children were among 17 Victorians with the flu in hospital intensive care units last night.
But she would not say how many children were in intensive care or where they were being treated.
Dr Lester said because the sentinel surveillance system did not measure the prevalence of the virus in the broader community, a new project would start testing people’s blood for antibodies to establish the spread of the disease.
“That will give us a much better estimate of what proportion of the population has been infected because this (sentinel surveillance system) data does not include people who do not go to GPs,” she said.
County’s First Swine Flu Death Claims 19-Year-Old Tourist
Tuesday, July 07, 2009 5:19:31 PM
ORLANDO — County health officials today are reporting the first confirmed case of a death in Orange County related to swine flu.
The 19-year-old woman, a tourist and resident of Pennsylvania, died at Florida Hospital. Officials did not disclose the date of death or details of the case citing federal health privacy laws.
Doctors would not pin the cause of death on swine flue because the cause of death has not been determined.
“This is the first death in Orange County related to swine flue,” said Dr. Kevin Sherin of the Orange County Health Department. “Our hearts and prayers go out to her and her family.”
The report of the young woman’s death comes on the heels of an announcement today by the University of Central Florida that 10 case are being treated among students. That numbers could rise to as many as 26.
So far, the county health department has submitted 400 samples to laboratories for testing for the H1N1 virus. A total of 180 of the samples have been confirmed with Swine flue. Of those, 140 were from Orange County residents. The others were visitors.
Sherin said that based on numbers from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, there could be thousands of swine flu cases in Orange County that won’t make it into statistics.
“The CDC estimates about 1 million cases of swine flue in the U.S. Based on that estimated, Sherin said as many as 1 in 300 people could be infected with the strain of flu.
“This is not a normal flu season to have this many cases this late in the summer. It’s circulating in the community,” he said.
More Argentina news and perspective
Nationwide alert
“Between 10-20% of the population must be infected with H1N1 flu”
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/5841
Renowned infectious disease specialist Daniel Stamboulián said Argentina is going through the first half of the pandemic phase of the virus. “The next three weeks will be extremely important to know how it will diminish,” he added.
He also said it is impossible and unnecessary for the laboratories to report all the cases. Stamboulián estimated cases in Argentina may total 3 million. He also emphasized the Argentine situation is quite similar to the current scenario of the neighboring countries. Regarding the prevention of the virus, Dr. Daniel Stamboulián said people showing H1N1-flu like symptoms must be isolated to avoid transmitting the virus to their relatives or work mates. “Health masks are falsely safe,” he asserted.
What is the situation in Argentina regarding the Influenza A (H1N1)?
The Influenza A (H1N1) appeared in Argentina three weeks ago. Flu outbreaks and new viruses like this one usually last six weeks, so there are three weeks remaining. This is a very dynamic scenario, the virus grows, it remains stable, but we are certainly in the middle of the pandemic.
Can we consider official data real?
First of all we need to know that confirmed cases don’t actually show the real prevalence of the virus. Even in the USA, where data are properly reported, there must be 5-10 actual cases for each reported case. That happens here too. The interesting fact is that seasonal flu usually affects 10% of the population. This means there are about 1.5 to 3 million infected people in the country. Pandemics usually affect 20 to 40% of the population. Health Minister Manzur actually said there are more than 100.000 infected people. Laboratories can’t cope with all the work.
So, what are the actual figures?
I think 10- 20% of the Argentine population is infected. This means we will probably reach more than 3 million cases in the country.
Why didn’t the virus affect the neighboring countries as much as it did to Argentina?
Chile was also affected by the virus, and some cases are being detected in Uruguay. I think it spreads country by country. We have a serious situation here in Argentina, but Chile has a similar scenario, because this is a pandemic disease spreading across countries. I think there are no major differences among South-American countries.
Is it possible that more restrictive measures could have been taken to avoid the entry of the virus?
According to the World Health Organization, it is impossible to restrict and control the virus by diminishing international trips. The virus is easily transmitted and has hit more than 100 countries, but the virus doesn’t travel along with the people. There are confirmed cases attributed to autochthonous transmission cases and the virus is definitely among us.
What are the specialists concerned about today in relation to Influenza A (H1N1)?
We are worried about those young adults who don’t belong to risk groups comprised by associated diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. These young adults show flu symptoms and after the third day they suffer from severe pneumonia and must use an artificial respirator. That explains why Intensive Care Units have collapsed in Argentina.
What are the reasons for such a high death toll?
We were able to see some treatments were applied too late, because patients in risk groups received priority treatment. And we could see that situation not only in Argentina but also in Mexico. Now we know that if a patient has Influenza A (H1N1), we can only advise him to take the medicine as soon as possible. I think the number of victims was related to the delay in the application of some treatments. The number of fatalities is lower abroad, because they are used to deal with patients admitted to the intensive care units. The Argentine system has collapsed. Now we can say being prepared for a pandemic disease means improving our intensive care units.
Are there enough doses of antiviral medication in Argentina?
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner told us the government purchased around 2 million doses. This medication is available. It is even sold in drugstores, and the national government is handing it out for free on prescription only.
Was the health emergency declared too late?
I think it was timely declared when patients who didn’t belong to any risk group began to die. The health emergency is a very necessary administrative measure. The problem here is that this virus is very dynamic.
What about the other measures?
Closing schools is an appropriate measure due to the current cold weather, in order to reduce the transmission of the virus among children, who are easily affected since they don’t have enough antibodies. We will decide if it is necessary to take other measures within the next few days. I don’t think public shows or sport arenas should be closed. Infected people mustn’t’ attend those places.
[SNIP]
Interview by Guillermo Gammacurta and Pablo Jiménez for ambito.com
Thirty-Four More Cases Of Swine Flu Confirmed In Central Texas
(July 7, 2009)—The Bell County Public Health District said it has confirmed 34 more cases of swine flu in Bell County, pushing the total number of cases in the county to 172 and the total number in Central Texas to more than 250.
The McLennan County Health District confirmed ten cases of swine flu Tuesday.
The most recent state data show 39 confirmed cases in Brazos County, two in Coryell County, one in Falls County, three in Milam County, 34 in Williamson County and two in Hamilton County.
Statewide, about 3,800 cases have been confirmed.
[snip]
http://www.kwtx.com/medicaldirectory/headlines/50148722.html
I believe they have identified the most common underlying health issues as overweight, diabetes, immune dysfunction, and pregnancy. Read this somewhere, now can’t remember where.
Thank you, DvdMom.
I’ve got alot of catching up to do!
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.