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Flu pandemic here?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8018356.stm
Speaks for itself I think!
Speaks for itself I think!
A top US health official said the strain of swine flu had spread widely and could not be contained.
Speaking after a meeting of the WHO's emergency committee, Mrs Chan said that "the current events constitute a public health emergency of international concern".
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Several unconfirmed reports in France, same again in Israel.
:yes: Its very early days, anyone else remember the panic over SARS or avian flu in recent years when the viruis first started speading. Yes it could be very unpleasent but with the media attention, most people are being cautious (hence the isolation of people returning from Mexico with flu like symptons) We are overdue a flu pandemic but we also one of the best prepared countries in the world (mainly because we have a massive stockpile of anti-virials)
I'm not sure we have the vaccination for this strain as it is such a mutated strain. Supposedly the normal flu vaccinations won't prevent it. Two Dr's in Mexico have died from it, they believed they would be protected due to having the general flu vaccine.
A strain is being sent over from america to hopefully produce a vaccine for this strain.
From what I've read, we have no vaccine for it - the american department of health have already formulated a vaccine but it will take months to manufacture and distribute on a large scale and until they know how big this problem is going to be... well it's watch and wait time atm. But there are anti-virals that are effective to a degree, within the first day or two of getting symptoms they can give you a course of this medicine which should reduce the severity of the symptoms.
Not really much in the news about it today though I noticed.
This is a bit more dangerous than the bird flu as if I recall correctly, bird flu was able to transmit from birds to humans, but this one can go from human to human. So the danger previously was that it would mutate and they would get a 'superflu' that was as dangerous as the bird flu in being able to harm humans, but as contagious as human flu. I think what swine flu is this mutated version. Bear in mind with the h5n1 they never declared it an international emergency, which they pretty much have now.
Not trying to panic anyone lol, just from what I've read it does seem more 'potentially' dangerous in that you can just catch it like normal flu. In fact someone could catch it but not exhibit symptoms but continue spreading it to other people. With bird flu it was generally only people who worked with poultry that caught it, and then they just cull the poultry a bit like foot and mouth.
This year's annual flu-jab has protection against a different H1N1 strain, this may provide some protection.
The anti-virals we have stockpiled can mostly prevent the spread to those caring for people that have it, and reduce the seriousness of the infection.
I thought it was H1N1?
During the bird flu outbreak the government had access to Tamiflu (the antiviral used to treat it) but chose to buy only small amounts for a select few important people. They do not have massive amounts of anti-virals stocks. However, there were never any immediate risk from H5N1 unless it became able to be transmitted between humans. The H1N1 strain causing the current outbreak is less likely to kill people but can be transmitted from human to human and so has more chance of causing a pandemic. As such the government might see this strain as more of a threat and produce vaccine and/or anti-virals accordingly, but only if it cannot be contained first as this would be much cheaper than producing vast stocks of drug for no reason.
Reminds me of Broken News' tomato flu.
Apparently most of the victims have been in the age group 25 - 45 however I agree that it's too early to draw any statistical conclusions.
Suspected death toll is up to 100 in mexico now.
Totals:
Confirmed cases: 45
Suspected cases: 1,783
Suspected deaths: 103
According to wikipedia.
The mortality rate is pretty low from something I read, something like 7.1%. It's just that it can be caught as easily as the common cold that makes it dangerous. The spanish flu had a mortality rate of 2.5%.
But again, the numbers aren't there yet to make any real predictions. But I think what we are seeing are the perfect precusors to a pandemic - if there was going to be a pandemic, this would be how it starts... lets just hope it doesn't end that way.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7857824.stm
The select few will be priority in a pandemic but there are enough antivirals for half of the population.
If I am earmarked for one then the half of the population that are without can have mine with pleasure.
I am sure that the fear and gloom shown by many is not shared by Baxter International Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline Plc. A marvellous business opportunity in these depression hit times.
75 confirmed
2200+ suspected
149 deaths (20 confirmed)
edit: 2 confirmed cases in the UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8020208.stm
thats a lovely plan but what about the incubation period where infected persons are symptomless but still spreading virus? if you only treat those that are showing symptoms you will not stop the spread.
I am not an expert
When the vaccine has been developed, depending on the severity of the infection, then would be the time to start administering drugs to large portions of the population. But I read somewhere you only need to vaccinate a portion of the population and then the whole population gains a 'group immunity' or something.
But hospitals cant cope with the demand from patients with winter flu. So if this really spreads then no way will hospitals be able to cope! The trust I work at is regularly on red alert or on shutdown to patients being admitted as they just have no beds
If it comes to it, then I guess they will just have to use some sort of triage system. Maybe even set up 'tent cities' for those who catch h1n1 to keep them quarantined from the general population. I think it will be a testing time, but I'm glad we're in the UK with the medical professionals and hospitals we have rather than somewhere else where they have much less resources available to people.
That statement is inaccurate. The opposite is more likely.
Once again that theory (based on research by AW Hedrich in the 1930s) is inaccurate.
"This swine flu outbreak began in America, like all of the problems which I am now dealing with. We are giving everyone real help now to see them through this difficult time. I am getting on with the job, unlike the Tories who would do nothing and let everyone die from this. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to the office to throw mobile phones and laser printers at staff when they tell me that we're 20 points behind in the polls. Thank you."
UPDATE: You'll be delighted to know that the tabloids tomorrow are reporting the revelation that there is a confirmed case of swine flu in the UK with great restraint.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Because I know you love reading my stuff. The Daily Mash gets closer to the truth than anyone else yet again here.