Avian/Swine Flu Update! - April 23, 2009
The World Health Organization expressed “heightened concern” on Friday over more than 800 “influenza-like” cases reported in Mexico, after seven cases of a severe respiratory illness were confirmed in two U.S. border states.
WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told CBC News on Friday that health officials are dealing with three separate events in Mexico, with most of the 828 cases in and around the capital, Mexico City.
At least 24 cases have been reported in the central region, while four have been reported in the north. The mystery illness has led to at least 20 deaths in the country.
Most of the cases have occurred in healthy young adults, Hartl said.
“Because these cases are not happening in the very old or the very young, which is normal with seasonal influenza, this is an unusual event and a cause for heightened concern,” Hartl said in an interview from WHO headquarters in Geneva.
It is also rare to see such high flu activity so late in the season, he said.
“The end of April, especially in a place like Mexico, you would think that we would see quite a steep decline,” said Hartl.
All classes cancelled in Mexico City
A Mexican Health Ministry statement issued on Thursday afternoon said the country “was in the presence of a new influenza virus that constitutes a respiratory epidemic which is controllable, so far.”
But laboratory tests on the 828 Mexican cases have yet to confirm the patients are suffering from influenza, or what strain it might be, Hartl said.
The Mexican government ordered that all classes in Mexico City and the surrounding state be cancelled on Friday, from pre-schools to universities. It also has warned the public to avoid gathering places and major events.
On Thursday, Canadian health officials issued a travel advisory warning travellers who have recently returned from Mexico to be on alert for flu-like symptoms that could be connected to the illness.
In the U.S., health officials were scrambling this week to deal with a new strain of swine flu, which has been diagnosed in seven people in Texas and California.
The states share a border with Mexico not far from a town where two deaths were reported.
The U.S. cases are unusual, because it appears none of the patients had contact with pigs, and the virus is one that health officials have never seen before.
No cases of this swine flu have been found in Canada.
Samples positive for influenza A and B
The cause of the illness has not been confirmed. Mexican health officials said samples so far have tested positive for influenza A and B.
People infected with the virus initially suffer flu-like symptoms that include: * Fever. * Cough. * Sore throat. * Muscle and joint pain. * Shortness of breath.
The illness may elevate to a severe respiratory illness within about five days.
In Canada, the travel advisory includes the same advice given to all travellers: Get a flu shot and take precautions such as covering coughs and staying home when sick. But it also adds locations in Mexico where cases of a severe respiratory illness have occurred.
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August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
I want to know how …
I want to know how many doctors in Canada were watching the amount of people coming back into the country sick. A few or a ton.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
6/22/2010 is when …
6/22/2010 is when the nukes go off. here let me give u a timline. 2009 prep year for everything bad. 2010 year, everything does go bad. 2011 the year we fight back, we take back our planet and we unite as one race. 2012 we awake into 4th density. peace and light to all.. PLEASE SPREAD THIS MESSAGE
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
A 2005 study by Dr. …
A 2005 study by Dr. Julie Gerberding, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Donna Stroup, estimated deaths from poor diet and physical inactivity, had increased to 400,000 in 2000, up from 300,000 a decade earlier. But after scientists inside and outside the CDC agency questioned the death estimates, the CDC admitted making a calculation error, and lowered its estimate in January to 365,000.
Obesity accounted for 57 000 deaths over 15 years in Canada. Give or take?
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Yeah me too, I also …
Yeah me too, I also have a sore throat, very little coughing, and itchy nose, but it’s not bad at all. Kind of worried anyways.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
your perfectly fine …
your perfectly fine
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
1 cover your mouth …
1 cover your mouth with ur hand
2 make a wish
3 with that same hand make a fist
4 hold it 2 ur heart for 5 secs
5 send this to 3 more vids
6 2moro will b da best day of your life
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
the new name fo …
the new name fo swine flu virus is H1N1 now!!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
alright thanks for …
i checked my temp last night and it was 97.9 im going to ume thats normal…is it? ok no more questions i dont want to annoy you
alright thanks for the help
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
nope.
nope.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
they already have.
they already have.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
no , but a bit more …
no , but a bit more info should be given , what exactly is it? all ive seen is tyope A influenze , h1n1 . im supossed to believe this went from pig to human to human to human ? in a week? the cdc guy just spoke for 15 min and never said . its BS this is nothing they will either back off trying to sell this lie or put out a vaccine and if BAXTER makes it no one had better take it.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Sorry but that is …
Sorry but that is just so much bollocks. If you know anything about virology and viral structure and the methods of genetic mutation within viruses you would know that this kind of shift is very simple and entirely possible.
By you logic does that make every human to human pathogen man made?
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Thats not bad, just …
Thats not bad, just the aftermath of a cold. All you need is rest. Check your temperature and if its ok, just still rest in your everyday home clothes. If the temp. is over average, wear the least amount of clothing you can while sleeping/resting and if it’s below average then wear hot clothing like a sweater while sleeping/resting.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
its not.
its not.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
and who is going to …
and who is going to take over america??
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
I hope it’s not …
I hope it’s not airborn!!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Bitch Im famous for …
Im famous for having this !
I’m actually all over the news!
Check my channel to see the vid on the news!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
haha no offense …
haha no offense taken
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
it killed 75% of …
it killed 75% of europeans actually ,
I had to read about it for half a year in my social class, no offence intended on correcting you ..
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
well i started with …
well i started with a sore throat late at night on sunday but it went away like the next day..and on monday i had a really runny nose and some coughing..tuesday i had a bad cough and my runny nose wsnt as bad…and i also had a little nausea…and today i jst have a cough and i think im a little conjested cuz my nose isnt running like yesturday the mucus i jst there…..should i still go to the hospital or do i jst have the cold?
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
wtf why am i an …
wtf why am i an idiot? for stating my opinion about something?
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
the black plague …
the black plague was worst then this
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
you have to get …
you have to get really close to someone that has it, make sure you wash your hand when you should. I dont think its airborn.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
The World’s Health …
The World’s Health Organization? The World’s Bank? This is the New World Order plans to rule the world. BANKERS!!!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
bullshit its man …
bullshit its man made otr it wouldnt be human to human . its an excuse to invade america ,. its a fake harmless bug but level 5 is in effect tune in to infowars