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

[Brazen]

The source of the disease has now been identified.

*posts everywhere*

[Pedrito]

And 36! dang you are old !



My 36th birthday is in like 3 and half weeks

I was younger when I started posting here 
We should have a remake of the old "Who the fuck are you?" thread to post updated life statistics

L.

[Liep]

That's it. Americans are dead. US Health has just confirmed the first swine flu related death in Texas.

[Drakken]

That's it. Americans are dead. US Health has just confirmed the first swine flu related death in Texas.

Yeah, a 23 months old baby... we are far, far from the "20-50 years old range dieing everywhere" range that would put the swine flu in the Spanish flu area.

[Liep]

Yeah, a 23 months old baby... we are far, far from the "20-50 years old range dieing everywhere" range that would put the swine flu in the Spanish flu area.

Your state of panic is far below than what is expected in the age of Twitter.

[Caliga]

From what i've read it's 25-45 in Mexico, part of reason they were so concerned by the fatality in age group that should be more resilient.

If I understand correctly, the thought is that people in that age range tend to have the strongest immune systems, and thus strongest immunoresponse, but the virus actually provokes an OVER-response that can prove fatal.  Therefore, if you're an old piece of crap with a weak immune system, the immunoresponse is less likely to prove fatal.  I think that's the theory behind the Spanish Flu epidemic as well.

[Drakken]

From what i've read it's 25-45 in Mexico, part of reason they were so concerned by the fatality in age group that should be more resilient.

If I understand correctly, the thought is that people in that age range tend to have the strongest immune systems, and thus strongest immunoresponse, but the virus actually provokes an OVER-response that can prove fatal.  Therefore, if you're an old piece of crap with a weak immune system, the immunoresponse is less likely to prove fatal.  I think that's the theory behind the Spanish Flu epidemic as well.

And it would kill in these age groups everywhere. The thing is, it has done it reportedly only in Mexico, while in the rest of the world the cases were mild enough for them to remain at home sick. This doesn't make sense.

My take is that most of the people killed in Mexico died because the flu is there for months left untreated, of other factors, perhaps bacteria, bad hospital hygiene, late treatment, respiratory problems due to the smog and the high altitude of Mexico City, etc., added to the flu itself.

[Caliga]

Well, also take into consideration that when the Spanish Flu hit medical understanding of virii was still in relative infancy.  I think people did understand human contact was the cause, as I've seen pics of people wearing masks and being quarantined.  So anyway it's going to be tough to compare this (if indeed it becomes an epidemic) to Spanish Flu, since medicine is so much more advanced now.

[Drakken]

Yeah, a 23 months old baby... we are far, far from the "20-50 years old range dieing everywhere" range that would put the swine flu in the Spanish flu area.

Your state of panic is far below than what is expected in the age of Twitter.

I call it information awareness, which isn't encouraged at all by Wikipedia and Twitter. 

Because seasonal flu, of course, doesn't kill anyone. Oh wait, it does: babies, kids, old people, and immunodepressed people in the thousands just in the US alone. Where is the swine flu is confirmed to be any different?

[Caliga]

I call it information awareness, which isn't encouraged at all by Wikipedia and Twitter. 

Because seasonal flu, of course, doesn't kill anyone. Oh wait, it does: babies, kids, old people, and immunodepressed people in the thousands just in the US alone. Where is the swine flu is confirmed to be any different?

Nowhere, but the media was getting bored reporting on stories of mass shootings in America's heartland. 

[DisturbedPervert]

There were probably a lot more cases in Mexico that weren't reported, as they were so mild that no one went to the doctor.  There might be tens of thousands who barely noticed they were sick.  But now in other countries, those cases are getting immediate treatment now that it is known it can be deadly.

[Ed Anger]

Ed Anger Disease diary: Day 3

The local news has gone to hysteria mode, with a suspected case in Richmond, an hour away.

At work, the head office has moved the "alert"(for lack of a better term) to stage two as the local crisis management team will convene at noon today. As the head of that, and there being NO REAL CRISIS, I plan on sleeping through part of it. 


Mr. McKittrick, after very careful consideration, sir, I've come to the conclusion that your new defense system sucks.

Flush the bombers, get the subs in launch mode. We are at DEFCON 1. 

[KRonn]

I work for a health care org, a group of hospitals, health care and doctor offices. I'm getting updates and info on Swine Flu, as to be expected given where I work. They're not hyping it I don't think, just putting the info out to all. I'm sure the medical staff gets more in the way of info, updates, plans of action.

Seems a bad time for this to hit, with the Spring/Summer allergy season starting, lots of people have some respiratory symptoms anyway, sometimes bad enough to feel like a cold or mild flu.

[Drakken]

I work for a health care org, a group of hospitals, health care and doctor offices. I'm getting updates and info on Swine Flu, as to be expected given where I work. They're not hyping it I don't think, just putting the info out to all. I'm sure the medical staff gets more in the way of info, updates, plans of action.

Seems a bad time for this to hit, with the Spring/Summer allergy season starting, lots of people have some respiratory symptoms anyway, sometimes bad enough to feel like a cold or mild flu.

The information given by health care infrastructures and officials is top notch, I agree to that. No problem with them.

The problem is the media scare going apeshit around it, hyping it as a new Avian flu-type threat, while health care officials and physicians are much more level-headed about it. Perhaps it's because I live in Quebec, and no case has been reported as of now.

The good thing about summer is that is the end of the flu season and, maybe, it'll slow down in the Northern atmosphere. I am more worried about the Southern, though, as their flu season is about to begin. 

[Monoriu]

I think it is absolutely essential NOT to notify an air crew that you are sick.  They are most likely under standing orders to report sick cases to the destination airport - so that the health authorities can make a decision to turn back the aircraft if necessary.  This must be even more true now.  Take some over the counter medication, and pretend to be asleep during the trip.  Don't attract any attention on the plane and don't seek medical assistance.