Watch out! it may be comeing your way! (pandemic alert)

[Yankee]

Everyone in the U.S. is worried about this! They are saying this might spread around the World! cases have already showed up in several states here in the U.S.! The schools and museums are closed. Sold-out games between popular soccer teams are being played in empty stadiums. Health workers are ordering sickly passengers off subways and buses.Authorities in the capital responded Friday with a sweeping shutdown of public places and events, urging people to stay home if they feel sick and to avoid shaking hands or kissing people on the cheeks.it may be too late to contain the outbreak, given how widespread the known cases are. If the confirmed deaths are the first signs of a pandemic, then cases are probably incubating around the world by now, said Dr. Michael Osterholm, a pandemic flu expert at the University of Minnesota. check it out here http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/med_swine_flu  and here is a video on this  http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=13145830&ch=4226714&src=news

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

Thanls Yankee,  i heard the end of this on the radio this morniong, they said the problem is it will be going on in many countries at the same time,
 blimey, head for the bunkers mate

[Richy]

Millsy flew to the States this morning, I'm starting a petition to keep him over there 'til the flu bug has run its course.

Richy.

[Jonola (Jon)]

Like something off the TV series "Survivors". Strange that the BBC just remade the 1970s series. If it kills off the weak and feeble minded then I'm in big trouble....

[Yankee]

The news here just broke in on the regular programing!. The U.S. is closing its border with Mexico. It appears this thing is getting serious. The CDC reports the number of sick people with this virus is fast growing!. People between 20-50 years old are dyeing of this thing. The CDC reports they believe its too late to stop the spread worldwide. There are reported cases in the state of Texas and California here in the U.S. Its kind of scary I hope they get a handle on this thing fast!

[Jonola (Jon)]

The SKY and BBC news channels seem more interested in reporting economic stories. billionaires losing 20% of their wealth is obviously more important than a potential pandemic. Perhaps they don't want to worry us as the anti - flu jab is said to be completely ineffectual against this strain and that an anti-viral immunisation programme would be more useful.

If a Brit dies it will be shunted to the headlines. Until then it will be the second or third story of the day.

[Yankee]

Dont forget to invite Millsy over to your home when returning! 

[Jonola (Jon)]

Just saw the latest news and it was the main item. 1918 saw two thirds of the worlds population affected by Spanish flu and a death rate of between 50 and 100 million. Quite worrying if they don't get a grip of it.

[Yankee]

If it makes you feel any better none of the U.S. cases have died. The deaths in Mexico were caused by pneumonia when they got the infection. People in Mexico eat poor diets their liveing conditions are bad and their immune systems are compromised. The people that got this thing here in the U.S. have been able to fight it off much better!. Maby there is hope after all! Here is the latest news from here. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090426/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/med_swine_flu

[Yankee]

Here is a report from the State of Arizona where your fellow Detectorist is going on vacation http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/04/24/20090424SwineFlu0424.html?&wired

[Jonola (Jon)]

From the BBC an hour ago.


Eleven confirmed infections in the US

In addition, eight suspected cases are being investigated at a New York City high school where about 200 students fell mildly ill with flu-like symptoms

Ten New Zealand students are among a group which travelled to Mexico have tested positive for influenza A - making it "likely", though not definite, that they are infected with swine flu, said Health Minister Tony Ryall

In France, a top health official told Le Parisien newspaper there were unconfirmed suspicions that two individuals who had just returned from Mexico may be carrying the virus

In Israel, medics are testing a 26-year-old man who has been taken to hospital with flu-like symptoms after returning from a trip to Mexico

[Yankee]

GENEVA – The World Health Organization tried to determine Sunday how to battle a deadly new strain of swine flu, holding teleconferences with staff and flu experts around the world as countries from New Zealand to France reported suspected cases.

WHO stopped short of recommending specific measures to stop the disease, urging governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks but leaving further decisions up to individual nations.

Governments across Asia began quarantining those with symptoms of the deadly virus and some issued travel warnings for Mexico.

Some governments were increasing their screening of pigs and pork imports from the Americas or banning them outright despite health officials' reassurances that it was safe to eat thoroughly cooked pork.

In a second day of top-level meetings, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan and senior advisors were trying to determine what measures the agency could recommend to stop the spread of the outbreak, which she called a public health emergency of "pandemic potential" because the virus can pass from human to human.

New Zealand said that 10 students who took a school trip to Mexico "likely" had swine flu. Israel said a man who had recently visited Mexico had been hospitalized while authorities try to determine whether he had swine flu. France said that two people who had returned from Mexico with fevers were being monitored in regions near the port cities of Bordeaux and Marseille.

Spain's Health Ministry said three people who just returned from Mexico were under observation in hospitals in the northern Basque region, in southeastern Albacete and the Mediterranean port city of Valencia.

Governments must report any unusual cases of flu to WHO, and the agency was considering whether to issue nonbinding recommendations on travel and trade restrictions, and even border closures. It is up to governments to decide whether to follow the advice.

"Countries are encouraged to do anything that they feel would be a precautionary measure," WHO spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi said. "All countries need to enhance their monitoring."

H1N1 influenza is a subset of influenza A that is a combination of bird, pig and human viruses, according to the WHO. Symptoms include a fever of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.

At least 81 people have died from severe pneumonia caused by the flu-like illness in Mexico, according to the WHO.

The virus is usually contracted through direct contact with pigs, but Joseph Domenech, chief of animal health service at U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency in Rome, said all indications were that the virus is being spread through human-to-human transmission.

No vaccine specifically protects against swine flu, and it is unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer.

The WHO's pandemic alert level is currently at to phase 3. The organization said the level could be raised to phase 4 if the virus shows sustained ability to pass from human to human.

Phase 5 would be reached if the virus is found in at least two countries in the same region.

"The declaration of phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short," WHO said.

Phase 6 would indicate a full-scale global pandemic.

Mexico closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in a bid to contain the outbreak after hundreds were sickened there. U.S. authorities said 11 people were infected with swine flu, and all recovered or were recovering.

Hong Kong and Taiwan said visitors who came back from affected areas with fevers would be quarantined. China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival an affected area had to report to authorities.

Tokyo's Narita airport installed a device to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico.

Indonesia increased surveillance at all entry points for travelers with flu-like symptoms — using devices at airports that were put in place years ago to monitor for severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and bird flu. It said it was ready to quarantine suspected victims if necessary.

A Russian health agency said any passenger from North America running a fever would be quarantined until cause of the fever is determined.

Hong Kong and South Korea warned against travel to the Mexican capital and three affected provinces. Italy's health ministry also advised citizens to postpone travel to affected areas.

Serbia on Saturday banned all imports of pork from North America, despite reassurances from the FAO that pigs appear not to be the immediate source of infection.

Italy's agriculture lobby, Coldiretti, warned against panic reaction, noting that farmers lost hundreds of millions of euros (dollars) because of consumers boycotts during the 2001 mad cow scare and the 2005 bird flu outbreak.

Japanese Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba appeared on TV to calm consumers, saying it was safe to eat pork.

In Egypt, health authorities were examining about 350,000 pigs being raised in Cairo and other provinces for swine flu.

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

An immunisation against it would take 6 months , so thats no good . Tamiflu is very effective it wont stop you getting it but will drastically reduce the effects of the flu. Looks like as its spreading from body to body, it is weakening though.