Every year the flu infect several million Americans, hospitalizes 200,000, and kills 36,000. That means that every single day (on average), 10,000 or more are infected 700 are hospitalized, and 100 die. That's every day.
To combat this, there is new combination vaccine prepared every year to cover the anticipated strains for treatment of those at highest risk. In other words, the strains change every year.
This strain is just one among many which we can anticipate this year. In comparison to the baseline infection rate and death rate, this is a tiny blip.
Why is there such a big megillah about it? I don't know. It doesn't make sense. The flu is always dangerous. It kills 100 American every day (on average). This one has killed none. It has infected less than 100 in about a week, whereas 10,000 per day (on average) are infected with the flu.
I can only presume that WHO is pushing it to cover their asses, to assert their importance, and to promote financial support. And the same for the CDC, Texas Children's Hospital, Rick Perry, who just declared a statewide emergency because there was a death in a Texas hospital.
It sure has pushed the real news into the background: torture, NYC AF 1 flyover, Iraq war, Aghan war, Pakistan, ... I sure would like to see someone ask or answer some real questions in one of these news conferences.
Don
Don Krieger, Ph.D., D.ABNM
Pittsburgh, PA
http://publicservice.evendon.com
BLOG: http://DonKrieger.blogspot.com
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Greetings from Guadalajara, where schools and most governmental offices have been shut down and a limited but noticeable number of pedestrians wear blue nose and mouth coverings.
In view of the intense publicity that Pig Flu has garnered, this is all very understandable. Three ocean-going cruise ships have canceled their arrivals at Puerto Vallarta and some are calling for closing the border.
Maybe it doesn't matter that to date, ZERO cases of Swine Flu have been confirmed in this city of 8 million and in Mexico City, where the largest number of cases and fatalities have been reported (which is logical, since almost one fifth of the nation's approximately 110 million residents are found there), a total of FIVE deaths from respiratory disease have been identified as being caused by Swine Flu.
If CONVENTIONAL Flu types cause 36 thousand deaths a year and occur during a five month seasonal time frame in the USA, that's an average of 240 deaths a day. If Mexico's population is one third of the USA's should anyone become emotionally involved with what's going on?
The nature of the current epidemic appears to be derived from the media's need to focus on *something* (anything) capable of maintaining the public's attention and the need of some spectators to perceive (and reinforce the perception of) some sort of threat from without.
IAC, flu viruses rarely kill and treatment is generally not required for recovery, regardless of whether this particular variety has been around long enough for the public to have built up any significant degree of immunity.
Anyone whose immune system hasn't been compromised through malnutrition or stress should have little difficultly surviving the disease, if and when it it's presence becomes established - which it will.
BTW - I have consulted for the Health Secretariat in the field of communicable disease.
A couple of links for a Guadalajara and Mexico City Newspaper follows:
www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2009/04/30/dos-muertes-mas-en-el-df-por-males-respiratorios-ahued/
Extract:
Dos muertes más en el DF por males respiratorios: Ahued
[Two more deaths from respiratory diseases]
Aún falta determinar eran portadores de influenza porcina, señaló el secretario. De los 28 decesos, sólo cinco están confirmados que fueron por el virus.
[It's still to be determined whether they were carriers of swine flu, said the secretary (of health). Of the 28 deaths, five have been confirmed as having been caused by swine flu]
La Jornada On Line y AFP
Publicado: 30/04/2009 08:39
La Jornada is a large and usually reliable Mexico City newspaper, published today.
www.informador.com.mx/mexico/2009/99292/6/suman-28-las-muertes-en-el-df-por-influenza-porcina.htm
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO.- El secretario de Salud del Distrito Federal, Armando Ahued confirmó dos defunciones más en la ciudad por enfermedades respiratorias, con lo que sumarían 28 en el DF, cinco de éstas comprobadas por influenza porcina.
El Informador is a major Guadalajara newspaper and says pretty much the same.
People are being told to have as little contact with other people as possible and not shake hands or kiss on the cheek.
WTF is going on?
Is that a reasonable preventive reaction to ZERO cases in this city, a 7 hour drive from the nation's capital via two separate high speed toll road routes where five deaths of swine flu have been confirmed?
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