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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Sixty Swine Flu Fatalities In Mexico Confirm Pandemic Start |
| 2009-04-24 |
| A rare outbreak of human swine flu has killed at least 60 people in Mexico and spread to the United States where authorities are on alert, the World Health Organisation said on Friday. "To date there have been some 800 suspected cases with flu-like illness, with 57 deaths in the Mexico City area," Chaib added. Twenty four suspected cases and three deaths were also recorded in San Luis Potosi in central Mexico. The above comment confirm that the swine H1N1 in southwestern United States (see updated map) is the leading edge of a H1N1 pandemic that appears to be centered in Mexico. These deaths should increase the pandemic phase to 6. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #5 THE World Health Organisation has confirmed 18 people have died in Mexico from swine flu and that the outbreak is of "high concern''. The UN health agency said samples from 12 of the dead are "genetically identical'' to cases detected in the US state of California. The WHO said earlier there were 60 suspected deaths from swine flu in Mexico where hundreds of cases have been reported. Forty-five of the fatal cases are being checked in laboratories. "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 WHO said in a statement. H1N1 caused the 1918 pandemic. Although, low pathogenic H1N1 strains exist in the wild today, causing roughly half of all flu infections in 2006. So this appears to be a high pathogenic variant of a common flu virus HN strain. No mention of Hemmoraghic symptoms, but a lethal variant of a common HN strain (rather than a new HN strain) is what people should be afraid of. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2009-04-24 21:22 |
| #4 There appears to be a lot of misconceptions on this topic on the Net. There is an outbreak of ILI, influenza like illnesses, in Mexico, primarily in Mexico City. Lots of viruses cause an ILI. Few cases of ILI are influenza. As far as I can determine, less than 20 samples from Mexico have been tested as pos. for swine flu. That means some have tested negative. Mexico City has just about the worst air pollution in the world. Its residents start any respiratory illness with damaged lungs. Add to that less than optimal medical care, second or thrid world levels, and it is not surprising that people die at a high rate from ILI. Take statements by Mexican officials with a grain of salt. It is in their interest to create a panic and obtain lots of US aid dollars. Dollars that will disappear into their bank accounts. This is the media's plague du jour, since bird flu seems to not have heeded their request to spread. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2009-04-24 19:50 |
| #3 This is why there are laws preventing un-controlled immigration into the U.S.. Another reason to bust each and every fat ass politician in DC who has chosen to ignore those laws these days. |
| Posted by: Thor Snoter2395 2009-04-24 16:09 |
| #2 "Pandemic," like many other epidemiologic terms, is a term that can only be applied after the fact. Is this the start of a pandemic? Per the CDC, not at this time. There is no way to tell. Those interested in this should go directly to the CDC site mentioned. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-04-24 15:02 |
| #1 Might it be the time to seal the border for medical reasons? /s |
| Posted by: tipover 2009-04-24 12:57 |