Mexico and the United States on the Verge of a Swine Flu Pandemic
Posted by: Flap in Medicine, Swine Flu+++++Update+++++
Question & Answer Swine Flu in the United States and Mexico
Further information: CDC’s swine flu page and the initial report published earlier this week.
This swine flu epidemic is serious business. And, there is NO vaccine yet available.
A strain of flu never seen before has killed up to 60 people in Mexico and has also appeared in the United States, where eight people were infected but recovered, health officials said on Friday.
Mexico’s government said at least 20 people have died of the disease in central Mexico and that it may also have been responsible for 40 other deaths.
Mexico reported more than 1,000 suspected cases and four possible cases were also seen in Mexicali, right on the border with California.
The World Health Organization said tests showed the virus from 12 of the Mexican patients was the same genetically as a new strain of swine flu, designated H1N1, seen in eight people in California and Texas.
“Our concern has grown as of yesterday,” U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acting director Dr. Richard Besser told reporters in a telephone briefing.
Global health officials were not ready to declare a pandemic — a global epidemic of a new and deadly disease such as flu. “So far there has not been any change in the pandemic threat level,” Besser said.
But the human-to-human spread of the new virus raised fears of a major outbreak and Mexico’s government canceled classes for millions of children in its sprawling capital city and surrounding areas. All large public events like concerts were suspended in Mexico City.
Close analysis showed the disease is a never-before-seen mixture of swine, human and avian viruses, according to the CDC.
Most of the Mexican dead were aged between 25 and 45, a Mexican health official said, in a worrying sign. Seasonal flu can be more deadly among the very young and the very old but a hallmark of pandemics is that they affect healthy young adults.
Mexico has enough antiviral drugs to combat the outbreak for the moment, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said.
The WHO said the virus appears to be susceptible to Roche AG’s flu drug Tamiflu, also known as oseltamivir, but not to older flu drugs such as amantadine.
The last “FLU” pandemic was in 1968 when the “HONG KONG FLU” killed around a million people around the world.
The “SWINE FLU” is an Influenza “A” Virus and is designated H1N1. It has DNA from birds, pigs and human viruses.
The Centers for Disease Control is working on a vaccine.
Related Links:
- Most fatal flu victims aged between 25-45…
- Swine flu could infect trade and travel…
- WHO ready with antivirals…
- The mysterious respiratory illness…
- CDC says too late to contain…
- 60 DEAD: Mexico City launches huge vaccination campaign…
- CLOSE TO 1,000 SUSPECTED CASES…
- Heighten Risk of Pandemic…
- Concerns in California, Texas…
- Mutated from pigs, transmitted to humans…
Stay tuned…….
Technorati Tags: Influenza A, Swine Flu, Tamiflu
Entries (RSS)
April 25th, 2009 at 5:59 am
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April 25th, 2009 at 7:26 am
I am nervous and I think this could be the end of the world.
The flu in 1918 killed over 50 million people, this swine flu could kill billions of people.
People say not to worry but this is a pandemic, and do you think this could be the end of the world??
April 25th, 2009 at 8:57 am
[...] Mexico and the United States on the Verge of a Swine Flu Pandemic … – +++++Update+++++Question & Answer Swine Flu in the United States and MexicoFurther information: CDC’s swine flu page and the initial report published. [...]
April 25th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Before this gets way out of proportion, somebody needs to make an executive decision and quickly restrict and close down any travel in/out of Mexico and its borders. Doesn’t seem like there is time to waste with debating and forming committees. Action needs to be taken to prevent this from becoming the pandemic they are talking about. Concerned! Definately.
April 25th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
This is very very disturbing news. Hope that cure or something will be established as soon as possible.
April 25th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
More hype. Only the Mexicans have died from it. Probably bad doctors.
April 26th, 2009 at 6:59 am
These kinds of outbreak need further attention. We’ve had the same incident once and it almost killed 400 hundred people if not taken cared of immediately. Closing borders could be an immediate move to contain any epidemic.
April 26th, 2009 at 9:30 am
I really hope that all these news will be taken into serious consideration. Further preventive steps should be taken
April 27th, 2009 at 2:50 am
Every now and then we get such disturbing news. I really hope that world health organizations will react properly to this situation.
April 27th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Just saw news, that there is a case in Spain (student that was in Mexico). Not good.