Swine Flu

I have just read that the U.S. govt has declared a medical emergency over there as some people in the U.S. are ill.

You guys all take care of yourselves now. I hope it doesnt amount to anything much. :crossed:

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Well I hope no one we know or folks near us get sick either, but I'm sure it'll get better soon. The outbreaks in the U.S have been mild so far *cross your fingers*

There have been 3 cases in our state, and we live in a town where travel to and from mexico is very high (unfortunately due to a lot of illegal immigrants), but I feel we're safe. I hope I'm right!

They have confirmed three cases in Dallas county, a probable in Tarrent county.
One of the Dallas county cases is at an elementary school in the town south of me - and two more probables there. This is huge because tomorrow is the beginning of three days of State mandated testing for elementary schools.

I sent an email to our teachers this morning to review handwashing, coughing into the elbow area, throwing away used tissues and keeping hands away from your face. So far the cases have been mild. Over 40,000 people die in the US every year from the regular flu.

And I am tally marks for every phone call I got from a parent today. <sigh>

I think this may explain why there are so many fatalities in Mexico...hopefully this is the reason:

Mexico faces criticism over swine flu response
Buzz Up Send
By NIKO PRICE, Associated Press Writer Niko Price, Associated Press Writer – 3 mins ago
MEXICO CITY – Two weeks after the first known swine flu death, Mexico still hasn't given medicine to the families of the dead. It hasn't determined where the outbreak began or how it spread. And while the government urges anyone who feels sick to go to hospitals, feverish people complain ambulance workers are scared to pick them up.

A portrait is emerging of a slow and confused response by Mexico to the gathering swine flu epidemic. And that could mean the world is flying blind into a global health storm.

Despite an annual budget of more than $5 billion, Mexico's health secretary said Monday that his agency hasn't had the resources to visit the families of the dead. That means doctors haven't begun treatment for the population most exposed to swine flu, and most apt to spread it.

It also means medical sleuths don't know how the victims were infected — key to understanding how the epidemic began and how it can be contained.

Foreign health officials were hesitant Monday to speak critically about Mexico's response, saying they want to wait until more details emerge before passing judgment. But already, Mexicans were questioning the government's image of a country that has the crisis under control.

"Nobody believes the government anymore," said Edgar Rocha, a 28-year-old office messenger. He said the lack of information is sowing distrust: "You haven't seen a single interview with the sick!"

The political consequences could be serious. China was heavily criticized during the outbreak of SARS for failing to release details about the disease, feeding rumors and fear. And Mexico's failed response to a catastrophic 1985 earthquake is largely credited with the demise of the party that had ruled the country since the 1920s.

"That is foremost in the minds of Mexican policymakers now," said George Grayson at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. "They're thinking, 'We don't want another '85.'"

Indeed, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova was defensive at a news conference Monday as he was peppered with questions about why Mexico took so long to identify the outbreak, attempt to contain its spread and provide information.

"We never had this kind of epidemic in the world," he said. "This is the first time we have this kind of virus."

It remained unclear where and how the epidemic began, how it has spread, who it has killed or how fast it is growing. And the government has yet to take some basic steps critical to containing any outbreak, such as quick treatment of people who had contact with the victims.

In the town of Xonacatlan, just west of Mexico City, Antonia Cortes Borbolla told The Associated Press that nobody has given her medicine in the week since her husband succumbed to raging fever and weakened lungs that a lab has confirmed as swine flu.

No health workers have inspected her home, asked how her husband might have contracted the illness or tested the neighbors' pigs, she said.

Cordova acknowledged that her case isn't unique.

"We haven't given medicine to all of them because we still don't have enough personnel," he said.

Cordova said he couldn't provide information on the victims for reasons of confidentiality, but promised to eventually release a statistical breakdown. He said he couldn't provide that data now "because it's being processed."

Asked whether he could at least say how many of the 20 confirmed victims were men and how many were women, he said: "I don't have that information."

The government has insisted it acted quickly and decisively when presented with the evidence of a new virus.

But even as it did so, it acknowledged the outbreak began earlier than April 12, the date it had previously linked to the first case. Cordova confirmed Monday that a 4-year-old boy who was part of an outbreak in eastern Veracruz state that began in February had swine flu. He later recovered.

Residents of the town of Perote said at the time that they had a new, aggressive bug — even taking to the streets to demonstrate against the pig farm they blamed for their illness — but were told they were suffering from a typical flu. It was only after U.S. labs confirmed a swine flu outbreak that Mexican officials sent the boy's sample in for swine flu testing.

Meanwhile, some people complained that health workers were turning them away, even as officials urged people to seek treatment quickly if they felt symptoms of flu coming on.

Elias Camacho, a 31-year-old truck driver with fever, cough and body aches, was ordered out of a government ambulance Sunday because paramedics complained he might be contagious, his father-in-law told the AP. When family members took him to a hospital in a taxi, Jorge Martinez Cruz said, a doctor told him he wasn't sick.

Camacho was finally admitted to the hospital — and placed in an area marked "restricted" — after a doctor at a private clinic notified state health authorities, Martinez said.

In Mexico City, Jose Isaac Cepeda said two hospitals refused to treat his fever, diarrhea and joint pains. The first turned him away because he wasn't registered in the public health system, he said.

The second, he said, didn't let him in "because they say they're too busy."

I boarded my flight to Boston today with 2 small bottles of Purell and a mask.

We're supposed to go to Mexico for our honeymoon in June

I hope everything is ok by then!

Any flights coming in to Australia from North and South America and Mexico there screening all passengers, any sign of passengers being unwell straight into quaranteen till tested.

Pretty scary at the moment 5 suspected cases in NSW. 15 suspected in NZ and the death toll in Mexico is scary.

Hope it is not going to turn into a pandemic like the bird flu did a few years back.

I think we will all be wary of anyone with a cough or sniffles till all this is over. :roll:

Mom of 3 wrote:

Have they confirmed yet b/c everything I read said it wasn't confirmed yet when I googled yesterday and this morning, but I am not there to hear their news. Just the 3 cases in San Antonio.

I watched that famous doctor who is always on Oprah and he said he wouldn't bother w/them. Five minutes later, the news came on and said to wear them. :lol:

He also said those hand sanitizers were MORE effective than using any soap b/c it kills the germ instantly.

I'm more concerned about all this rain we're getting. Four inches already, and my dogs have to pee!!

I watched that famous doctor who is always on Oprah and he said he wouldn't bother w/them. Five minutes later, the news came on and said to wear them. He also said those hand sanitizers were MORE effective than using any soap b/c it kills the germ instantly.

I agree. And I think they are trying to scare people. YES we should be concerned.
To much hipe for me.

Joahaeyo wrote:

I'm more concerned about all this rain we're getting. Four inches already, and my dogs have to pee!!

Am I allowed to quote myself? :lol:

Just wanted to add on to my off topic comment: Guess 4" was last nights total. All the schools here are closed today. I have one happy boy that loves staying home w/mommy!

Some of you may know that Tony is not going with me to Key West, because another employee where he works have that week off for vacation. Tony found out yesterday, the other employee is suppose to be going to Mexico.

I wonder if he'll re-schedule it. I know, I would NOT be traveling to Mexico right now.

All of you, please stay healthy!

He said the hand sanitizer is only better because you can use it right away, whereas you have to actually go somewhere to find soap and water to wash your hands. So the sanitizer in itself isn't necessarily better. It's just that more people can have it on hand at the time of touching something yucky.

I carry onr in my purse and one in the car.
Hold over I guess from haveing kids....

Using hand sanitizer on a routine basis is only making for stronger germs. Soap and water is the best preventative.

That's the latest I had heard too, but that's not what this Dr said. ...and he did say to use it daily even with kids. Anyway, I hate hand sanitizers and don't use them.

Joahaeyo wrote:

That's the latest I had heard too, but that's not what this Dr said. ...and he did say to use it daily even with kids.

Yeah graduating from medical school doesn't mean they have all the answers.

Know what they call the guy who graduated last in his class in medical school?

Joahaeyo wrote:

That's the latest I had heard too, but that's not what this Dr said. ...and he did say to use it daily even with kids. Anyway, I hate hand sanitizers and don't use them.

I hate them too. First of all, they make you smell like you've been swigging vodka...second of all, they dry my skin terribly.

kerry wrote:

Joahaeyo wrote:

That's the latest I had heard too, but that's not what this Dr said. ...and he did say to use it daily even with kids.

Yeah graduating from medical school doesn't mean they have all the answers.

Know what they call the guy who graduated last in his class in medical school?

DR or Professor? :lol:

Betsy wrote:

kerry wrote:

Joahaeyo wrote:

That's the latest I had heard too, but that's not what this Dr said. ...and he did say to use it daily even with kids.

Yeah graduating from medical school doesn't mean they have all the answers.

Know what they call the guy who graduated last in his class in medical school?

DR or Professor? :lol:

A Dentist?

Since my husband is traveling in TX this week, I'm a bit on edge as well. He's being a bit more cautious, washing his hands more often, steering clear of large crowds, but he will be on 2 more planes yet this week, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! :crossed:

On the hand sanitizer issue - Spencer's gf's (LisaMarie) mother was one of those fastidious moms who sanitized EVERYTHING her daughter came in contact with, thinking she was just being a careful mom. Problem is, now LisaMarie gets sick at the drop of a hat and often because her system never got immune to any germs while she was growing up.

not to sound like an alarmist...have him wear a face mask on the plane, please. :plead:

I agree with the hand sanitizer being way overused. I think maybe in situations like this it's okay, but those people who use it all the time are just asking for trouble...

debcram wrote:

not to sound like an alarmist...have him wear a face mask on the plane, please. :plead:

Apparently there si no evidence that the masks will keep anyone from getting sick.. Washing your hands and keeping your hands away from your face is the best way to prevent getting any respitory ailment.

As for a plane - get on last and off first, the less time you spend on the plane while air is still (on the ground) the better.

What's crazy is just finding out the baby who died ...died at the same hospital Joshee was treated at this week for being sick (same day he was there for stupid ear infection that won't go away). Crazy to think we could have walked in the same time they did to bring in their poor child.

Joahaeyo wrote:

Wow, that is scary, and very sad.

I didn't have my face mask or antibacterial soap on me either!

The child was actually from mexico, so unfortunately... he probably caught it there. He was only here to visit family.

It was said over the radio that 3 people have died today in UK! I am a bit worried!!

That must have not made it here yet. Sad. Here is the latest info I can find.

Quote:

In the United States, President Barack Obama mourned the first U.S. death, a Mexican toddler who had traveled with his family to Texas. Total American cases surged to nearly 100, and Obama said wider school closings might be necessary.

In Mexico, where the flu is believed to have originated, officials said today the disease is now confirmed or suspected in 159 deaths, and nearly 2,500 illnesses.

There were no other deaths confirmed from the flu. But health officials in the United States and around the world braced for them

i leave for nashville tomorrow for my nephews confirmation...a normal 3 hour flight is going to take me 10 1/2 hours to get there...nothing like spending most of that time in the atlanta airport...grrrr.....

that being said, if i catch and die of the swine flu, my life being ''relatively'' uneventful...death by swine should be made as funny as possible....at the wake, everyone should wear pink, pig ears, pig tails and of course the only item on the menu will be pork..... :twisted:

LOL, darcy, we sure will......

On a serious note, MN has it's 1st confirmed case of swine flu as well now. It was on the news this morning.

seriously though, if you have good hygene and actually wash your hands and dont sneeze or cough on people, you should be fine.....the good new in a way, is that chemo has me totally on the ball....ive never gotten over my hand sanitizer/lysol phase...lol

What's crazy is, before the weekend ...a local elementary had 242 stay home sick from actually having the flu. Normal flu from what they knew ...and none were reported to be faking it (scared to come to school or whatever). The next day, over 360, 2 confirmed cases of swine flu. Over the weekend, that number went to 12 confirmed. As of today, they have 30 confirmed in this one houston elementary. I feel so bad for the parents/kids that attend this school! I'd be scared crapless if my kid was now 1 of the over 360 (something like half were out of school so that's over 360 now) if my child had the flu. They closed the school down this week.

Ellie's Mum wrote:

It was said over the radio that 3 people have died today in UK! I am a bit worried!!

There have been no deaths in the UK from flu.

Its looks as though the WHO are preparing to go to Alert level 6 this week.

Joahaeyo wrote:

How scary for all!! Such a shame it hit an elementary school, whether its normal flu or swine flu its still bad for the little ones.

The news must be tired of the whole subject since it didn't get any news coverage outside of TX. Surprising considering everything else on it that has. I think this elem. school got the worst of it as far as total number sick.

edit: After re-reading an article, I guess it was the second worst hit.

I thought I must just be out of touch, as I hadnt heard anything about a school. Weird what things will get reported and what gets ignored.
Would the authorities be keeping a lid on it to stop parents and school's panicing do you think? Or is it just one of those things?

ok to many people to quote. But hear is what i heard on the news, google it do whatever you like. The number of cases reported to date worldwide 9830 and 79 deaths due to swine flu. In the U.S. 5469 cases and 6 deaths.

Worldwide deaths due to normal flu is 500,000 a year and over 5 million confirmed cases. Every year!!!! I think chances of dying from regular flu is way worse than swine flu.

NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD NOT BE CAREFUL. Wash your hands, use sanitizer, whatever. Doing these things should be a normal routine in your life to prevent the spread of germs which lead to... you guessed it influenza, which could lead to pneumonia.

Well alll i can can say after a 23 hour flight is you don't even hear about it over here. However, I can say that flying into Tokyo was a trip. all 18 of us in the upper cabin just laughed (and i did take pictures will try to upload them here) of the "quarentine' people coming onto the plane. there were about 5 of them, they all had on surgical booties, gowns over surgical scrubs, goggles, masks and hair coverings and gloves. Enough so that it scared one baby on the flight. looked like someithng out of that old robin cook movie............ they had this machine they came by and pointed at each one of us to see if we had a temperature. Everyone was laughing and taking pictures and i guess we upset them by doing so as they came on saying not to take pictures.............. We were also told before hand by the stewardess NOT to cough or sneeze! and we wre to keep all the window coverings pulled down to keep the heat from coming inside.

the man in front of me sneezed twice, i accedentally said SHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! too loud and everyone laughed........ I could just see them quarentining the cabin at that point after that long flight.

When i got to inchon, they just took my temp with one of the ear temp things........ and I got a NO Quarantine paper.

We'll see what it is like going home.

My friends in San Miguel de Allende say they have had no caaes there. The health agencies dont even mention it really. She thinks it has been blown out of proportion and i have to say i think so too at this point. However, on another note they say this is following the outbreak in the early 1900's and that this fall it is supposed to be a mutated strain much stronger than this come out that killed so many back then.

And i agree with all of this over sanitizing taking away natural immunity to fight germs. In fact, they did come over the intercome and say masks were not needed as they harbored more infection than one would get naturally.

One issue I have with the closing is that parents are choosing to travel (mini-vacations), get together with friends and be out in public.
Even supplying the lunches would defeat the purpose of closing the school as the kids would be standing in line together.

And while I agree with the issues about the hand sanitizer, using soap and water in the school isn't always practical. We have 6 sinks per grade level (3 for the boys and 3 for the girls). Allowing just a minuter per child, which is a quick estimate, that means it would take 10 mnutes just to get 60 kids washed up for lunch. That time has to come from academics or lunch - neither is a good option. So hand wipes or sanitizer has become the choice for logistical reasons. Each grade level has two children assigned to stand at the front of the lines, giving a squirt of sanitizer to each child as they walk by. The kids actually do a better job with the sanitizer than with the wipes (by observation). A couple of times a year, I go to each grade level and teach the proper way to wash, cough and dispose of trash (not on the floor).

Only 12 more days of school left.

There has been the first confirmed case of swine flu here in Victoria.
3 young brothers after a trip to Disneyland. Bet their parents werent expecting that kind of souvenir.
The education department have closed their school. Unfortunately we dont have summer break coming up so its going to be interesting to see what happens if it spreads.

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