Swine Flue outbreak in Mexico, US; 20 confirmed dead.

[Syt]

Mexico Swine Flu Deaths Spark Concerns Of Global Epidemic

Mexican and U.S. officials are taking emergency steps to contain the possible outbreak of a new multi-strain of swine flu that has killed at least 20 people and may be responsible for scores of other deaths.

Mexican health officials confirmed at least 20 deaths associated with the new flu strain Friday and ordered the most sweeping shutdown of public gathering places in decades.

Authorities closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in the capital, Mexico City, to try to contain any possible outbreak.  Many people in the capital were wearing face masks while in public. Authorities say 1,000 people have become ill.

Mexico's Health Minister, Jose Angel Cordoba, says the new influenza mutated from pigs to humans and is now considered a "respiratory outbreak."  This, he says, is why the Health Ministry in Mexico City is recommending that people avoid crowded places.

Officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe the virus as having a unique combination of genetic material from pigs, birds and humans.  They say the virus may be completely new, or may have been present for some time, and only now been detected through improved testing and surveillance.

The CDC says tests indicate some of the Mexico victims died from the same new strain of virus that sickened eight people in California and Texas.  But authorities say the U.S. cases have been mild and that all eight people recovered.  They say none of the U.S. patients had any contact with pigs.

Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota says while new details about the virus are being learned experts are still not sure how much it might spread. "We are really in a very difficult position right now.  We have much more uncertainty than we do certainty and unfortunately that uncertainty all bodes poorly for the future if we show ongoing transmission," said Dr. Osterholm.

Scientists have long been concerned that a new flu virus could spark a worldwide pandemic.  A pandemic is usually declared when there is a new virus to which few people have resistance, the virus is easily transmissible and sustainable within a population, and causes severe illness.

The World Health Organization says it has sent a team of experts to the United States and Mexico to monitor the situations there.  The WHO says it is convening an expert panel to consider raising the pandemic alert level.

Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, says such a declaration is not likely. "WHO is not at the point of declaring a pandemic.  We are at the point of trying to learn more about this virus and understand its transmission and how to control it," said Dr. Besser.

The CDC says swine flu usually occurs in people who have been exposed to pigs, although human-to-human transmission is also possible.  Symptoms resemble the regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Its Web site says some people with swine flu experience a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The CDC also says that between December 2005 and February of this year, 12 cases of human swine flu infection were reported.

U.S. officials say the White House is monitoring the situation.

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_24/en/index.html

Influenza-Like Illness in the United States and Mexico

24 April 2009 -- The United States Government has reported seven confirmed human cases of Swine Influenza A/H1N1 in the USA (five in California and two in Texas) and nine suspect cases. All seven confirmed cases had mild Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), with only one requiring brief hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.

The Government of Mexico has reported three separate events. In the Federal District of Mexico, surveillance began picking up cases of ILI starting 18 March. The number of cases has risen steadily through April and as of 23 April there are now more than 854 cases of pneumonia from the capital. Of those, 59 have died. In San Luis Potosi, in central Mexico, 24 cases of ILI, with three deaths, have been reported. And from Mexicali, near the border with the United States, four cases of ILI, with no deaths, have been reported.

Of the Mexican cases, 18 have been laboratory confirmed in Canada as Swine Influenza A/H1N1, while 12 of those are genetically identical to the Swine Influenza A/H1N1 viruses from California.

The majority of these cases have occurred in otherwise healthy young adults. Influenza normally affects the very young and the very old, but these age groups have not been heavily affected in Mexico.

Because there are human cases associated with an animal influenza virus, and because of the geographical spread of multiple community outbreaks, plus the somewhat unusual age groups affected, these events are of high concern.

The Swine Influenza A/H1N1 viruses characterized in this outbreak have not been previously detected in pigs or humans. The viruses so far characterized have been sensitive to oseltamivir, but resistant to both amantadine and rimantadine.

The World Health Organization has been in constant contact with the health authorities in the United States, Mexico and Canada in order to better understand the risk which these ILI events pose. WHO (and PAHO) is sending missions of experts to Mexico to work with health authorities there. It is helping its Member States to increase field epidemiology activities, laboratory diagnosis and clinical management. Moreover, WHO's partners in the Global Alert and Response Network have been alerted and are ready to assist as requested by the Member States.

WHO acknowledges the United States and Mexico for their proactive reporting and their collaboration with WHO and will continue to work with Member States to further characterize the outbreak.

Time to travel to Boulder (or Las Vegas, respectively)?

[Martinus]

[katmai]

This ain't no captain trips

[Syt]

According to Bloomberg at least 68 have died and over a 1,000 cases are on record in the Mexico City area.

[Josephus]

This ain't no captain trips

Still have to make a Stand, though.

[Ed Anger]

I'll be Randall Flagg.

[jimmy olsen]

Bird flu was a bust, lets hope this is too.

[DontSayBanana]

Bird flu was a bust, lets hope this is too.

They mentioned among the swine and human genetic material, avian material was also present. I'm wondering if this is a related strain.

[Drakken]

Bird flu was a bust, lets hope this is too.

They mentioned among the swine and human genetic material, avian material was also present. I'm wondering if this is a related strain.

No. It's an European and North American strain,  not the lethal H5N1 strain found in Asia.

While there are casualties in Mexico, none of the people infected in the US have died. They all recovered.

Also, it is reported by the WHO that this strain is treatable with antiviruses like Tamiflu. The current H1N1 strain flu vaccine is inefficient against that strain, but it is normal as it is a mutated swine strain.

[Martinus]

I'll be Randall Flagg.

Shush. We are not in Kansas anymore.

[Vince]

I'll be Randall Flagg.

MY LIFE FOR YOU! :trashcan:

[Darth Wagtaros]

I for one welcome our new microbial overlords and remind them that they could always use trust worthy humans to work in their Matrix-esque human incubator fields.

[Ed Anger]

I'll be Randall Flagg.

Shush. We are not in Kansas anymore.

Your type of gay will be outlawed in Las Vegas.

[Habsburg]

Hmm, if this is comment on the BBC have your say item about Mexico is genuine then, ........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/8018428.stm

I work as a resident doctor in one of the biggest hospitals in Mexico City and sadly, the situation is far from "under control". As a doctor, I realise that the media does not report the truth. Authorities distributed vaccines among all the medical personnel with no results, because two of my partners who worked in this hospital (interns) were killed by this new virus in less than six days even though they were vaccinated as all of us were. The official number of deaths is 20, nevertheless, the true number of victims are more than 200. I understand that we must avoid to panic, but telling the truth it might be better now to prevent and avoid more deaths.

Yeny Gregorio Dávila, Mexico City

Anyone seen the original Survivors ?

Reading thru the rest of the comments as well doesn't set a calming picture.

[Martinus]

I'll be Randall Flagg.

Shush. We are not in Kansas anymore.

Your type of gay will be outlawed in Las Vegas.

You will have to close the Liberace Museum then.