Monday, May 04, 2009

Swine Flu Outbreak - April 28 - May 04, 2009

NOTE: This post moved near top today from its original post date – Scroll below for latest postings
Swine Flu Outbreak
Human Swine Influenza Investigation
As of 9:00am EDT
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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About this Video: In this video, Dr. Joe Bresee, with the CDC Influenza Division, describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.
Date Released: 4/25/2009 - Running time: 5:46
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Following from the World Health Organization website
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Swine Influenza - Update #3
From a April 27th Posting


The current situation regarding the outbreak of swine influenza A(H1N1) is evolving rapidly. As of 27 April 2009, the United States Government has reported 40 laboratory confirmed human cases of swine influenza A(H1N1), with no deaths. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection with the same virus, including seven deaths. Canada has reported six cases, with no deaths, while Spain has reported one case, with no deaths.
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Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.
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WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.
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There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.
Daily updates will be posted on this site
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* AFP has the following report this Tuesday morning and it starts off like this… World health officials admitted they were powerless to halt the spread of swine flu and ratcheted up their pandemic alert level as the number of affected countries rose sharply on Tuesday… As Mexico, epicentre of the outbreak, said 152 people were now believed to have died from the virus, the number of known cases in the US more than doubled while six other countries said they had confirmed their first casualties…
Read the full report at link below…
Swine flu spreads, containment seen as 'unfeasible'
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* MWC.net has this informative report for us this morning and it starts like this… The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu by one level, just two steps short of declaring a full-scale pandemic… Following talks in Geneva on Monday, the UN body announced that the alert over the flu, which is suspected of having killed more than 149 people in Mexico, had been raised to "phase 4"… The alert level means the WHO believes the new strain of the H1N1 virus can be transmitted between humans to cause community-level outbreaks, but that it can still be contained before becoming a pandemic… "A pandemic is not considered inevitable at this time," Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's assistant director-general, said… "The situation is fluid and the situation continues to evolve."…
Read the rest at link below…

WHO raises swine flu alert level
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Post Update:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
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* Reuters brings us the following report this Wednesday morning that starts off like this… A Mexican toddler in Texas has died of the H1N1 flu strain, the first confirmed death outside Mexico from a virus which health officials fear could cause a pandemic as it spread to two more countries in Europe… Nearly a week after the threat emerged in Mexico, where up to 159 people have died, U.S. officials said on Wednesday a 23-month-old boy had died in the state bordering Mexico… A Houston city health official said the baby was Mexican, fell ill two weeks ago in the U.S. border town of Brownsville and died in a Houston hospital…
Read the full report at link below…
Mexican toddler first U.S. flu death
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* Click2Houston.com reports it this way… The first swine flu death in the United States happened in Houston, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday… The Texas Department of State Health Services said the nearly 2-year-old boy had underlying health problems when he arrived in Brownsville, Texas, on April 4 from Mexico City via Matamoros, Mexico. He developed a fever and other flu symptoms on April 8 and was admitted to a Brownsville hospital five days later, Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos said… "The patient became quite ill rather rapidly and was transferred the next day to a hospital here in Houston," said Dr. David Persse, the Houston Fire Department's medical director. "Despite the best efforts, the child succumbed to the illness."
Read the full report at link below…
Child Dies From Swine Flu In Houston
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> The following link is to a News Conference by the City on Houston over today’s Swine Flu Death…
Watch this News Conference in full at
Click2Houston.com

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Post Update:
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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About today's video: HHS Secretary Sebelius and DHS Secretary Napolitano hosted a Webcast to answer questions from the American people regarding the H1N1 flu. They were joined by Acting Director of CDC, Dr. Besser.
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Post Update:
Friday, May 01, 2009
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Following from the WHO website
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Influenza A(H1N1) - update 8
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May 01, 2009 -- The situation continues to evolve. As of 19:00 GMT, May 01, 2009, 13 countries have officially reported 365 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.
The United States Government has reported 141 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Mexico has reported 156 confirmed human cases of infection, including nine deaths.
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The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (34), China, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region (1), Denmark (1), Germany (3), Israel (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (3), Spain (13), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (8).
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Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.
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WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.
.
There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.
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Related links
Influenza A(H1N1) web site
Daily updates will be posted on this site.
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Post Update:
Saturday, May 02, 2009
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Influenza A(H1N1) - update 10
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May 02, 2009 -- The situation continues to evolve. As of 18:00 GMT+1, 2 May 2009, 16 countries have officially reported 658 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.
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Mexico has reported 397 confirmed human cases of infection, including 16 deaths. The higher number of cases from Mexico in the past 48 hours reflects ongoing testing of previously collected specimens. The United States Government has reported 160 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
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The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (51), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), France (2), Germany (6), Israel (3), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (4), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (13), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (15).
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Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.
.
WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.
.
There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.
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Related links:
Daily updates will be posted on this site.
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President Obama's Weekly Video Address
Saturday, May 02, 2009

About this Week's Video Address: In this Weekly Address, the President discusses the government's response to the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, urging that there is no need to panic but explaining that the federal government and American people nonetheless should take the necessary precautions.
This video posted on YouTube by whitehouse
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Post Update
Sunday, April 03, 2009

Influenza A(H1N1) - update 12

May 03, 2009 -- As of 1600 GMT, May 03, 2009, 18 countries have officially reported 898 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 506 confirmed human cases of infection, including 19 deaths. The higher number of cases from Mexico in the past 48 hours reflects ongoing testing of previously collected specimens. The United States Government has reported 226 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (85), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), France (2), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (3), Italy (1), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (4), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (40), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (15).

Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.

WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders.It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.

Canada on 2 May reported the identification of the A(H1N1) virus in a swine herd in Alberta. It is highly probable that the pigs were exposed to the virus from a Canadian farm worker recently returned from Mexico, who had exhibited flu-like symptoms and had contact with the pigs.

There is no indication of virus adaptation through transfer from human to pigs at this time.

There is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.

Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

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POST UPDATE: Monday, May 04, 2009

This will be the last update for this post and it is just a short note to say... Keep checking back, from time to time, to the links below. They update regulary and are full of info, maps, links, videos and more...

I'll start a new Post if something MAJOR changes in the News on this Flu Outbreak.

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Links of Interest:
(All the following links update regularly)

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* Click2Houston.com Swine Flu Special Report Page
Top Stories/News Videos/Photos/Maps/Links and more
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AubreyJ………

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