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| Swine Flu Information; Topic started May 2009- Community Information | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 30 2009, 10:37 AM (3,982 Views) | |
| IlikeLIvonia | Apr 30 2009, 10:37 AM Post #1 |
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LPS is working with the Wayne County Department of Public Health to distribute Swine Flu information. Attached you will find a letter from the health department as well as a Swine Flu fact sheet. http://www.livonia.k12.mi.us/mailout/Attachments/Swine%20Flu_4870.pdf World Health Organization website (WHO) http://www.who.int/en/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/ |
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| Auntie A | Apr 30 2009, 10:40 AM Post #2 |
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I just hope that the district has enough sense to close schools if cases are reported. |
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| Whatever | Apr 30 2009, 12:58 PM Post #3 |
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How can Swine Influenza be prevented? „X Avoid contact with infected or sick people whenever possible. „X Cough or sneeze into tissues and throw away immediately. Wash hands after using a tissue for coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. „X Don¡¦t touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are spread this way. „X Get an annual flu shot, especially if you are a member or caregiver of a high-riskgroup. „X If you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with others. „X No vaccine is available to protect against swine influenza. This doesn't make sense. The annual flu shot does not protect against Swine Flu. There is no vaccine for the it. |
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| Anna Krome | Apr 30 2009, 01:30 PM Post #4 |
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I had read somewhere that there was a shot for swine flue, and that it's being stockpiled in Michigan. I can't find it now--though. My cuz just let me know that they've closed her Woodhaven schools as a precaution. They have no confirmed cases. Another cuz in Ft. Worth, TX, said they've closed downtown--she couldn't go to work. Lastly, can someone PM a tip on how to use the BBCode, so my links aren't so long? Thanks, AK http://www.wxyz.com/content/news/health/swineflu/story/Woodhaven-Schools-Closed-Thurs-Fri/RoNqUzZjyEGJITY2cA8rfw.cspx Woodhaven Schools Closed Thurs/Fri Last Update: 11:23 am The Woodhaven-Brownstown School District will be closed Thursday and Friday as a precaution against the spread of the swine flu. Workers Tuesday night disinfected the school and will do it again Thursday. A spokesperson for Superintendent Barbara Lott says nothing has changed with the student who was diagnosed with the flu. As of now the strain of the illness has not been determined to be swine flu. BELOW IS AN ARTICLE FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ON CLOSING SCHOOLS TO PREVENT SWINE FLU--IS IT A GOOD IDEA? WASHINGTON (AP) - Closing schools won't necessarily stop the spread of swine flu. What about the younger sister in a private day care center? And how to keep teens who are sent home from getting together at the mall or at each other's houses? As of midday Wednesday, only about 100 of the nation's 132,000 schools had closed. But they included schools on both coasts and in the nation's heartland, and more were likely to shut their doors in coming days. Texas officials just suspended all high school sports - smack in the middle of baseball season. And late Wednesday the Fort Worth Independent School District announced it was closing its 140 schools, with about 80,000 students, through at least May 8. In a worldwide epidemic - which the swine flu outbreak is not - government planning documents say schools could be closed for up to 12 weeks. Local officials make the decisions on schools, after weighing conditions in their cities, towns and counties. But President Barack Obama says parents everywhere should start preparing for the possibility that their kids may be sent home. "Our public health officials have recommended that schools with confirmed or suspected cases of this flu strongly consider temporarily closing," Obama said as he began a news conference Wednesday night. "And if more schools are forced to close, we've recommended that both parents and businesses think about contingency plans if their children do have to stay home." That would raise a whole new set of questions. "There is a large ripple effect," acknowledged Kathleen Sebelius, Obama's newly approved health secretary. "What happens to the parents? Where do those children go? Do you close the day care center if a younger sibling is there?" So far, closings have affected fewer than 60,000 students out of a total of 56 million enrolled nationwide in K-12 education in public and private schools. Most of the closings are individual schools, not entire systems. Most are expected to be short-term, a week or so. Some of the children who got sick are already recovering. If the outbreak turns into a killer flu, classes could still continue even if schools are shut. If they've planned for it, teachers could give their lessons by Internet, television, radio, telephone, mail or through their community newspapers. In Mexico, where the illnesses have been more severe, the government closed schools nationwide. In the U.S., authorities will deal with the problem from the ground up, not from the top down. "It is the state and local role to plan what's going to happen, as far as day to day or hour to hour," said Brenda Greene, director of school health programs for the National School Boards Association. If a flu case is confirmed at a school, local officials may just close down that school alone. Clusters of cases at different schools could prompt the closing of an entire system. Closings in many communities may lead to a statewide shutdown. Closing schools is not to be taken lightly. "It's not just about the schools," explained Kim Elliott, deputy director of Trust for America's Health, an independent public health organization. "If a community is thinking about closing schools, they're also probably thinking about closing day care centers. And children also depend on schools for a lot of services other than education, including lunch programs and after-school care." The federal government has taken a leading role in helping states and local communities plan for a public health disaster. Washington's concern grew from the anthrax attacks of 2001 and the 2005 bird flu scare that sparked fears of global infection. In Congress, the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Democrat George Miller of California, said Wednesday he will hold a hearing next week on how schools and businesses are prepared to handle the swine flu virus. On a conference call Monday, officials from the Education Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention answered questions from more than 1,400 people from school districts, state education offices and education groups. Education officials said many asked what circumstances should prompt schools to close. They were encouraged to follow the CDC's recommendation that schools close if they have a confirmed case or if they have a suspected case that is linked to a confirmed case. In the end, making the decision is a balancing act, not an on-off switch, said Robert M. Pestronk, a former public health officer who heads the National Association of County and City Health Officials. "Because there is one case in one school, or 10 cases, doesn't lead to a decision to close a whole district," said Pestronk. "It's a case of balancing the risk that is potentially present against the need for communities to operate normally on a day-to-day basis. You're trying to protect people's health and not completely shut down communities." There may be alternatives to closing schools. Researchers at Georgia Tech modeled the effects of two options: a voluntary quarantine of affected households in a severe flu, and school closures. They found that both would work about as well. "It's information that boards of education should consider," said Julie Swann, a professor of industrial engineering who collaborated in the study. "In some cases, you might want to do both kinds of interventions." Some families are already doing that. In the New York City borough of Queens, St. Francis Preparatory School closed last weekend and will remain shuttered at least until Monday. The 2,700-student school is the largest Roman Catholic high school in the nation. Raquel Mooradian and her husband, Greg, have been holed up in their Queens apartment since their 17-year-old daughter, Felicia, a senior at St. Francis, fell ill on Friday. They have two other children, ages 2 and 16. Raquel said they are afraid to leave the apartment for fear of infecting others. She didn't attend her classes at a local college, and Greg called in sick at his job. However, their teenage son is attending classes at his public school near St. Francis. When they took their daughter to the emergency room on Saturday night, she had a temperature of 102.7. The mother said she covers her face so she won't catch the virus when she goes into her daughter's bedroom to bring her soup, water or Gatorade. "She's able to talk but says, 'Let me sleep, let me sleep,"' said her mother. --- Associated Press writer Cristian Salazar in New York contributed to this report. |
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| Anna Krome | Apr 30 2009, 01:38 PM Post #5 |
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http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192-31933-213757--,00.html This is MI's special swine flu website. This site says there is no vaccine. I'm no doctor, so I'm not sure why the CDC (below) indicates a vaccine???? |
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| Anna Krome | Apr 30 2009, 01:44 PM Post #6 |
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From the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/antiviral_swine.htm Antiviral Drugs and Swine Influenza Antiviral Drugs Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs can be used to treat swine flu or to prevent infection with swine flu viruses. These medications must be prescribed by a health care professional. Influenza antiviral drugs only work against influenza viruses -- they will not help treat or prevent symptoms caused by infection from other viruses that can cause symptoms similar to the flu. There are four influenza antiviral drugs approved for use in the United States (oseltamivir, zanamivir, amantadine and rimantadine). The swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses that have been detected in humans in the United States and Mexico are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine so these drugs will not work against these swine influenza viruses. Laboratory testing on these swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses so far indicate that they are susceptible (sensitive) to oseltamivir and zanamivir. Benefits of Antiviral Drugs Treatment: If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious influenza complications. Influenza antiviral drugs work best when started soon after illness onset (within two 2 days), but treatment with antiviral drugs should still be considered after 48 hours of symptom onset, particularly for hospitalized patients or people at high risk for influenza-related complications. Prevention: Influenza antiviral drugs also can be used to prevent influenza when they are given to a person who is not ill, but who has been or may be near a person with swine influenza. When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. When used for prevention, the number of days that they should be used will vary depending on a person’s particular situation. CDC Recommendation CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses. Oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu ®) is approved to both treat and prevent influenza A and B virus infection in people one year of age and older. Zanamivir (brand name Relenza ®) is approved to treat influenza A and B virus infection in people 7 years and older and to prevent influenza A and B virus infection in people 5 years and older. Recommendations for using antiviral drugs for treatment or prevention of swine influenza will change as we learn more about this new virus. Clinicians should consider treating any person with confirmed or suspected swine influenza with an antiviral drug. Visit: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/recommendations.htm for specific recommendations. |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Apr 30 2009, 01:52 PM Post #7 |
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http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm Questions & Answers Swine Influenza and You Swine Flu website last updated April 29, 2009, 10:55 PM ET What is swine flu? Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people. Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.? In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near Guadalupe County, Texas. Other U.S. states have reported cases of swine flu infection in humans and cases have been reported internationally as well. An updated case count of confirmed swine flu infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation. Is this swine flu virus contagious? CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people. What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people? The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions. How does swine flu spread? Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork? No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe. How can someone with the flu infect someone else? Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. What should I do to keep from getting the flu? First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Are there medicines to treat swine flu? Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others? People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination? Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands. How long can viruses live outside the body? We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces. What can I do to protect myself from getting sick? There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health: Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing? If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze. What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu? Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. We recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands. What should I do if I get sick? If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care. In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include: Fast breathing or trouble breathing Bluish skin color Not drinking enough fluids Not waking up or not interacting Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough Fever with a rash In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen Sudden dizziness Confusion Severe or persistent vomiting How serious is swine flu infection? Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death. What is CDC doing in response to the outbreak? April 29, 2009, 10:55 PM ET CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. CDC continues to issue new interim guidance for clinicians and public health professionals. In addition, CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. What epidemiological investigations are taking place in response to the recent outbreak? April 29, 2009, 10:55 PM ET CDC works very closely with state and local officials in areas where human cases of H1N1 (swine flu) infections have been identified. In California and Texas, where EpiAid teams have been deployed, many epidemiological activities are taking place or planned including: Active surveillance in the counties where infections in humans have been identified; Studies of health care workers who were exposed to patients infected with the virus to see if they became infected; Studies of households and other contacts of people who were confirmed to have been infected to see if they became infected; Study of a public high school where three confirmed human cases of influenza A (H1N1) of swine origin occurred to see if anyone became infected and how much contact they had with a confirmed case; and Study to see how long a person with the virus infection sheds the virus. Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links. Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links. Page last reviewed April 29, 2009 10:55PM ET Page last updated April 29, 2009 10:55PM ET Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Edited by IlikeLIvonia, Apr 30 2009, 02:02 PM.
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| IlikeLIvonia | Apr 30 2009, 01:58 PM Post #8 |
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Human cases of (lab confirmed) Swine Flu in U.S.: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm 109 cases in 11 states with 1 death. Edited by IlikeLIvonia, Apr 30 2009, 02:00 PM.
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| Anna Krome | Apr 30 2009, 02:12 PM Post #9 |
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"CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses." Upon closer reading, I see this drug helps to prevent the infections, which can occur concurrently. |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Apr 30 2009, 02:15 PM Post #10 |
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http://www.aolhealth.com/drugs/oseltamivir-or-zanamivir?flv=1 Side Effects -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some side effects of zanamivir and oseltamivir include: Diarrhea. Nausea and vomiting. This side effect tends to occur with oseltamivir. Taking the medicine with food may reduce the risk. Swelling of the sinuses (sinusitis). A small number of people, especially children, showed behavior changes after they took oseltamivir.4 These include: Attempts to hurt themselves. Confusion or delirium. Anyone who takes Tamiflu, especially children, should be watched closely. If the person seems confused, tries to hurt himself or herself, or is acting strangely, call a doctor right away. See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.) Edited by IlikeLIvonia, Apr 30 2009, 02:15 PM.
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| IlikeLIvonia | Apr 30 2009, 02:20 PM Post #11 |
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Antiviral Agents for Seasonal Influenza: Side Effects and Adverse Reactions Note: On December 19, 2008, CDC issued Interim Recommendations for the Use of Influenza Antivirals for the 2008-09 Season. On this page: Zanamivir Oseltamivir Amantadine and Rimantadine Use During Pregnancy Drug Interactions When considering use of influenza antiviral medications (i.e., choice of antiviral drug, dosage, and duration of therapy), clinicians must consider the patient's age, weight, and renal function (See Table); presence of other medical conditions; indications for use (i.e., chemoprophylaxis or therapy); and the potential for interaction with other medications. Zanamivir Limited data are available about the safety or efficacy of zanamivir for persons with underlying respiratory disease or for persons with complications of acute influenza, and zanamivir is licensed only for use in persons without underlying respiratory or cardiac disease. In a study of zanamivir treatment of ILI among persons with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in which study medication was administered after use of a B2-agonist, 13% of patients receiving zanamivir and 14% of patients who received placebo (inhaled powdered lactose vehicle) experienced a greater than 20% decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) after treatment. However, in a phase-I study of persons with mild or moderate asthma who did not have ILI, one of 13 patients experienced bronchospasm after administration of zanamivir. In addition, during postmarketing surveillance, cases of respiratory function deterioration after inhalation of zanamivir have been reported. Because of the risk for serious adverse events and because efficacy has not been demonstrated among this population, zanamivir is not recommended for treatment for patients with underlying airway disease. Allergic reactions, including oropharyngeal or facial edema, also have been reported during postmarketing surveillance. In clinical treatment studies of persons with uncomplicated influenza, the frequencies of adverse events were similar for persons receiving inhaled zanamivir and for those receiving placebo (i.e., inhaled lactose vehicle alone). The most common adverse events reported by both groups were diarrhea, nausea, sinusitis, nasal signs and symptoms, bronchitis, cough, headache, dizziness, and ear, nose, and throat infections. Each of these symptoms was reported by less than 5% of persons in the clinical treatment studies combined. Zanamivir does not impair the immunologic response to TIV. Oseltamivir Nausea and vomiting were reported more frequently among adults receiving oseltamivir for treatment (nausea without vomiting, approximately 10%; vomiting, approximately 9%) than among persons receiving placebo (nausea without vomiting, approximately 6%; vomiting, approximately 3%). Among children treated with oseltamivir, 14% had vomiting, compared with 8.5% of placebo recipients. Overall, 1% discontinued the drug secondary to this side effect, and a limited number of adults who were enrolled in clinical treatment trials of oseltamivir discontinued treatment because of these symptoms. Similar types and rates of adverse events were reported in studies of oseltamivir chemoprophylaxis. Nausea and vomiting might be less severe if oseltamivir is taken with food. No published studies have assessed whether oseltamivir impairs the immunologic response to TIV. Transient neuropsychiatric events (self-injury or delirium) have been reported postmarketing among persons taking oseltamivir; the majority of reports were among adolescents and adults living in Japan. FDA advises that persons receiving oseltamivir be monitored closely for abnormal behavior. Amantadine and Rimantadine Both amantadine and rimantadine can cause CNS and gastrointestinal side effects when administered to young, healthy adults at equivalent dosages of 200 mg/day. However, incidence of CNS side effects (e.g., nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and lightheadedness) is higher among persons taking amantadine than among those taking rimantadine. In a 6-week study of prophylaxis among healthy adults, approximately 6% of participants taking rimantadine at a dosage of 200 mg/day experienced one or more CNS symptoms, compared with approximately 13% of those taking the same dosage of amantadine and 4% of those taking placebo. A study of older persons also demonstrated fewer CNS side effects associated with rimantadine compared with amantadine. Gastrointestinal side effects (e.g., nausea and anorexia) occur among approximately 1%--3% of persons taking either drug, compared with 1% of persons receiving the placebo. Side effects associated with amantadine and rimantadine are usually mild and cease soon after discontinuing the drug. Side effects can diminish or disappear after the first week, despite continued drug ingestion. However, serious side effects have been observed (e.g., marked behavioral changes, delirium, hallucinations, agitation, and seizures). These more severe side effects have been associated with high plasma drug concentrations and have been observed most often among persons who have renal insufficiency, seizure disorders, or certain psychiatric disorders and among older persons who have been taking amantadine as prophylaxis at a dosage of 200 mg/day. Clinical observations and studies have indicated that lowering the dosage of amantadine among these persons reduces the incidence and severity of such side effects. In acute overdosage of amantadine, CNS, renal, respiratory, and cardiac toxicity, including arrhythmias, have been reported. Because rimantadine has been marketed for a shorter period than amantadine, its safety among certain patient populations (e.g., chronically ill and older persons) has been evaluated less frequently. Because amantadine has anticholinergic effects and might cause mydriasis, it should not be used among patients with untreated angle closure glaucoma. Use During Pregnancy Oseltamivir, zanamivir, amantadine and rimantadine are both "Pregnancy Category C" medications, indicating that no clinical studies have been conducted to assess the safety of these medications for pregnant women. Only two cases of amantadine use for severe influenza illness during the third trimester have been reported. However, both amantadine and rimantadine have been demonstrated in animal studies to be teratogenic and embryotoxic when administered at substantially high doses. Because of the unknown effects of influenza antiviral drugs on pregnant women and their fetuses, these four drugs should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the embryo or fetus; the manufacturers' package inserts should be consulted. However, no adverse effects have been reported among women who received oseltamivir or zanamivir during pregnancy or among infants born to such women. Drug Interactions Clinical data are limited regarding drug interactions with zanamivir. However, no known drug interactions have been reported, and no clinically critical drug interactions have been predicted on the basis of in vitro and animal study data. Limited clinical data are available regarding drug interactions with oseltamivir. Because oseltamivir and oseltamivir carboxylate are excreted in the urine by glomerular filtration and tubular secretion via the anionic pathway, a potential exists for interaction with other agents excreted by this pathway. For example, coadministration of oseltamivir and probenecid resulted in reduced clearance of oseltamivir carboxylate by approximately 50% and a corresponding approximate twofold increase in the plasma levels of oseltamivir carboxylate. Careful observation is advised when amantadine is administered concurrently with drugs that affect CNS, including CNS stimulants. Concomitant administration of antihistamines or anticholinergic drugs can increase the incidence of adverse CNS reactions (248). No clinically substantial interactions between rimantadine and other drugs have been identified. No published data are available concerning the safety or efficacy of using combinations of any of these influenza antiviral drugs. Package inserts should be consulted for more detailed information about potential drug interactions. NOTE: The text above is taken from Prevention & Control of Influenza - Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) 2008. MMWR 2008 Jul 17; Early Release:1-60. The text on amantadine and rimantadine is taken from Prevention & Control of Influenza – Recemmendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) 2004. MMWR 2004 May 28; 53(RR06);1-40. Page last updated April 7, 2009 Content Source: Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases (CCID) National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/side-effects.htm Edited by IlikeLIvonia, Apr 30 2009, 02:21 PM.
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| Anna Krome | Apr 30 2009, 02:41 PM Post #12 |
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http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/swine.flu.mexico/ This is a portion of a CNN article yesterday (4/29) before the US death. It explores some reasons why death has been prevalent in Mexico from the flu. "The difference in seriousness between the known U.S. cases and the Mexican cases is the question that everyone wants to answer," said Maryn McKenna, author of "Beating Back the Devil," a 2004 book on the history of the CDC, and the forthcoming "Superbug," about drug-resistant staph. There are no hard answers, but a consensus is emerging: The disease in Mexico has likely been around longer and infected more people than investigators can confirm. "Do we really know all of the cases that existed in Mexico or is this just the tip of the iceberg?" asked Louis Sullivan, a physician and former head of Health and Human Services under President George H.W. Bush. McKenna said it's possible "there is much more flu in Mexico than we know because it hasn't been counted. That would mean that there are mild cases there as well, but that you have to get to a certain number of cases before, statistically, you start to see the very serious ones, and the U.S. hasn't had that many cases yet." It's a view shared on the streets of Mexico City, the hardest-hit area. "My intuition is that as the medical community starts looking around and at what has happened they may find that swine flu was there and they just didn't catch it," said Ana Maria Salazar, a radio talk show host and political blogger who lives in Mexico City. "Nobody was looking for this. We were all looking for this in Asia." The new virus has genes from North American swine influenza, avian influenza, human influenza and a form of swine influenza normally found in Asia and Europe, said Nancy Cox, chief of the CDC's Influenza Division. Influenza is basically an extreme upper respiratory infection, and, by itself, is rarely fatal. But it can lead to deadly complications, such as pneumonia. About 36,000 Americans die from flu complications every year. Swine flu is caused by a virus similar to the type of flu virus that, in various forms, infects people every year, but is a strain typically found only in pigs -- or in people who have direct contact with pigs. A couple of factors could be causing the greater death toll in Mexico, said Howard Markel, a physician and director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan. "They may have had cases for several months now and probably have a greater number of people who have the disease, probably tens of thousands," he said. "There may indeed be more cases in the United States. The snapshot we're seeing in the United States may be an incomplete snapshot." Also, he said, the people who have died in Mexico could have had what he called "another co-factor," such as taking medicine or having pre-existing infections that would make them more vulnerable. It's also possible, he said, that those who died had an underlying genetic predisposition or condition. Sullivan also pointed to possible "complicating factors," such as malnutrition, poor housing or crowded conditions. Markel noted that "flu was classically called a crowding disease in the 19th century." Disease investigators also are concerned by the fact that the outbreak has killed people in the prime of their lives, when they should have peak resistance. "It is certainly a red flag," Markel said. Health authorities have pointed out that this swine flu strain has never been seen. That may have a lot to do with the deaths, Markel said. "It's a fairly novel strain," he said, "and the deaths could be from healthy people who have a healthy, robust immune system that overreacts." That could result in a "cytokine storm" in which the body secretes too many chemicals as it tries to kill offending microorganisms. The hyper-response can lead to accumulation of fluid in the lungs and a condition called "acute respiratory distress syndrome." Julio Frenk, former health minister of Mexico and now dean of the Harvard School of Public Health, holds an opposing view: The disease could be killing people who are not healthy because of their living conditions. "There could also be some elements in the host," he said. "These are poor people. Maybe their immune response is not as efficient. So we're going to have to just keep trying to understand why this difference and whether that continues as the epidemic unfolds." He also noted that antiviral medications need to be taken within hours of the onset of symptoms, but people in Mexico may not have sought treatment immediately, if at all. As the outbreak continues to unfold, so will the investigation. "We're making every effort to truly understand this virus," said CDC's Roebuck. "But some of the reasons for what's happening we may never figure out." |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Apr 30 2009, 02:58 PM Post #13 |
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The last great swine flu epidemic "This virus will kill 1 million Americans," declared the U.S. in 1976. The panic then has a lot to teach us today. By Patrick Di Justo www.salon.com/env/feature/2009/04/28/1976_swine_flu/ CDC An elderly woman receives a vaccination during the nationwide swine flu vaccination campaign, which began Oct. 1, 1976. April 28, 2009 | There is evidence there will be a major flu epidemic this coming fall. The indication is that we will see a return of the 1918 flu virus that is the most virulent form of the flu. In 1918 a half million Americans died. The projections are that this virus will kill one million Americans in 1976. -- F. David Matthews, secretary of health, education, and welfare (Feb., 1976) In January 1976, 19-year old U.S. Army Private David Lewis, stationed at Fort Dix, joined his platoon on a 50-mile hike through the New Jersey snow. Lewis didn't have to go; he was suffering from flu and had been confined to his quarters by his unit's medical officer. Thirteen miles into the hike, Lewis collapsed and died a short time later of pneumonia caused by influenza. Because Lewis was young, generally healthy and should not have succumbed to the common flu, his death set off a cascade of uncertainty that confused the scientists, panicked the government and eventually embittered a public made distrustful of authority by Vietnam and Watergate. This past Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano left open the possibility of a mass immunization program for the current outbreak of swine flu. If that happens, the Obama administration has a lot to learn from the debacle set in motion by Private Lewis' ill-fated hike. Lewis was a victim of swine flu, a form of influenza endemic to pig populations. Influenza is caused by a virus, a microorganism that is mostly dead and partially alive. The virus' genetic code, held inside a protein sheath, consists of several helices of RNA. The virus injects its RNA into a healthy cell, which causes the cell to stop its usual work and make more copies of the virus. RNA genes mutate easily; for this reason, each new flu season brings a slightly different form of the disease into the population. Most year-to-year mutations bring little change to the virus, but for some still unknown reason, influenza seems to undergo a significant genetic change every ten years or so. This major mutation results in a radically new strain of flu, one that races through a population because few people are immune to it. The dangerous influenza epidemics of 1938, 1947, 1957 (60,000 dead in the U.S.) and 1968 (the dreaded Hong Kong flu) fit this pattern. It was believed that swine flu, a particularly deadly form of the virus, had a 60-year mutation cycle that brought on worldwide pandemics, killing millions of people. Both the 10- and 60-year cycles were due to converge in the mid 1970s; Lewis' death in 1976 was thought to be the first instance of a new, incredibly lethal type of flu. Doctors from the Centers for Disease Control tested Private Lewis' blood, and determined that his immune system had developed antibodies to a strain of flu similar to the Spanish influenza of 1918. That particular strain of swine flu produced the worst human pandemic of the 20th century: 1 billion sick in every country of the world, at least 22 million dead in the space of a few months. If Lewis had been exposed to something like the 1918 flu virus, the world could be in for an extensive and lethal outbreak. CDC doctors, charged with protecting the U.S. from epidemics, began to worry. By the end of January, 155 soldiers at Fort Dix reported positive for swine flu antibodies. None of the soldiers' families or co-workers, however, had been exposed to the virus; all of the reported swine flu cases had been limited to the soldiers in Private Lewis' camp. The virus wasn't spreading. For some reason this information did not mollify the doctors, and on Feb. 14, 1976, the CDC issued a notice to all U.S. hospitals to be on the lookout for any cases of swine flu. By March, the normal end of flu season, worldwide cases of all types of flu had diminished, and not one case of swine flu had been reported outside of Fort Dix. For some reason this news did not placate the doctors either, and on March 13, 1976, the director of the CDC asked Congress for money to develop and test enough swine flu vaccine to immunize at least 80 percent of the population of the United States, believed to be the minimum needed to avoid an epidemic. 1976 was the year of the U.S. Bicentennial. 1976 was a presidential election year. 1976 was two years after Watergate caused Nixon's resignation, and one year after the fall of Saigon. The U.S. government, both Republicans and Democrats, had never been held in such low esteem. Practically every elected official felt an overwhelming itch that patriotic year to do something to get the public thinking of them as good guys again. A swine flu pandemic was an opportunity on a plate. What better way to get into the good graces of the voters than to save them from a plague? Between March 13 and March 24, the U.S. government dealt with the perceived flu emergency at fever pitch. The vaccine request went from the CDC to the secretary of HEW (Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the forerunner of today's Department of Health and Human Services), and reached the president's desk in less than a week. On March 24, the day after he lost the North Carolina primary to Ronald Reagan, President Gerald Ford welcomed the top virologists in the nation to a meeting in the White House and asked them if the nation was facing a swine flu epidemic. Would mass vaccinations be necessary? The doctors all said yes. After the meeting, President Ford held a press conference with Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin, developers of the polio vaccine. The president heralded the impending flu plague and asked Congress for $135 million to investigate the development of a swine flu vaccine, with the goal of vaccinating the citizenry. This was probably the first time that most of the nation had heard of swine flu. Congress, with few exceptions, raced to support the bill. Knowing the Republican president would not, could not veto a bill he requested, the Democratically controlled House attached $1.8 billion dollars in welfare and environmental spending to the flu bill. President Ford signed the bill on April 15, 1976, and incorrectly remarked to the press that the Fort Dix swine flu was identical to the deadly 1918 variety. He announced the immunization program would begin in October. The scientists began to come to their senses. By July, they were pretty much agreed that a flu pandemic in 1976 would not lead to 1 million U.S. dead. The flu strain extracted from Private Lewis, they learned, was much less virulent that the 1918 strain, and modern medicine could handle an outbreak far better than the World War I doctors could. The World Health Organization ordered hospitals to keep a global lookout for swine flu, but it did not request mass immunization of the population. But the U.S. government was unstoppable. Congress began to pressure the drug companies to work faster toward development of a swine flu vaccine. The drug companies insisted that proper vaccine development required years of experimentation and clinical trials, and they were reluctant to develop and distribute an untested drug. The drug companies suggested that they could work faster if they were given immunity from lawsuits in the event something went wrong with the vaccine. Congress refused. The issue of legal liability remained at an impasse until Aug. 2, 1976. On that day, two members of the American Legion died of a strange respiratory disease they acquired at the Legion's convention in Philadelphia. Congress collectively freaked. Panicky news reports out of Philadelphia hinted that the deaths were the beginning of the Great Swine Flu Epidemic of 1976. On Aug. 3, Congress agreed to completely indemnify the drug companies against any and all lawsuits they might incur as a result of the distribution of swine flu vaccine. The drug companies got to work. On the same day, the CDC Disease Etiology Team sprang into action, and it had never performed better. On Aug. 5, the head of the CDC was able to testify before Congress and announce conclusively that the Legionnaires had died of a new disease, a type of pneumonia that was definitely not swine flu. When Congress was informed that the dreaded epidemic had not started, they canceled their indemnification agreement with the drug companies. The drug companies announced that they would immediately cease development of swine flu vaccines. They also began to hint that even if they were to be re-indemnified, they now wanted Congress to guarantee them reasonable profits from the development of the vaccines. President Ford went on television that night and delivered a speech to the nation, telling Americans that Congress will be to blame for your deaths when the flu season begins in October. Congress caved in, and on Aug. 15, President Ford signed the National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP). This set as a goal the immunization of at least 80 percent of the U.S. population, indemnified the drug companies and left vague the government's power to limit the drug companies' profit. The drug companies got to work. By September, the swine flu scaffolding came crashing down. Pollsters reported that while 93 percent of the population had heard of swine flu and knew it could cause a million U.S. deaths, only 52 percent planned to get immunized. The press was claiming that Congress had not done a good job of educating the public. Congress members blamed the failure on the CDC. The CDC was busy looking into the deaths of the Legionnaires; while they were able to say that the Legionnaires had not died of swine flu, they were unable to pin down what exactly what had killed the men. The American Legion thought the whole thing was a Communist plot. Congressman John Murphy of Staten Island claimed the CDC was stalling on identifying the Legionnaire's disease to panic people into fearing swine flu. Murphy demanded an investigation into the CDC and the indemnification deal made with the drug companies. The heroic miracle that was supposed to overhaul the government's image was rendered futile before it had started. On Oct. 1, 1976, the immunization program began. By Oct. 11, approximately 40 million people had received swine flu immunizations, mostly through the new compressed air vaccination guns. That evening, in Pittsburgh, came the first blow to the immunization program: Three senior citizens died soon after receiving their swine flu shots. The media outcry, linking the deaths to the immunizations without any proof, was so loud it drew an on-air rebuke from CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite, who warned his colleagues of the dangers of post hoc ergo propter hoc ("after this, therefore, because of this") thinking. But it was too late. The government had long feared mass panic about swine flu -- now they feared mass panic about the swine flu vaccinations. The deaths in Pittsburgh, though proved not to be related to the vaccine, were a strong setback to the program. The death blow came a few weeks later when reports appeared of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralyzing neuromuscular disorder, among some people who had received swine flu immunizations. The public refused to trust a government-operated health program that killed old people and crippled young people; as a result, less than 33 percent of the population had been immunized by the end of 1976. The National Influenza Immunization Program was effectively halted on Dec. 16. Gerald Ford's attempt to gain credit for keeping America safe was busted. He lost the presidential election to Jimmy Carter that November. The 1976 to 1977 flu season was the most flu-free since records had been kept; a condition that was apparently unrelated to the vaccination program. The Great Swine Flu Epidemic of 1976 never took place. Edited by IlikeLIvonia, Apr 30 2009, 04:00 PM.
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| Jimid | Apr 30 2009, 04:17 PM Post #14 |
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I think for the most part, no one should panic about this. From what I have read, the only difference between this flu and others is it may be more contagious? Most people who are relatively healthy will weather it like any other flu. Unpleasant, but not life threatening. I think we all need to be aware of our surroundings, and who we may be affecting if we think we are exposed. You don't want to expose your elderly parents, or grandparents, even if it means missing a 50th anniversary party. You don't want to expose pregnant woman, or families with young kids even if it means missing a first birthday party. You may have no idea what underlying health problems a coworker may have, so if you are sick, stay home. It's way too early too know where this is going, so just use common sense if you think there is any chance you may have been exposed. Please post any informative articles here. Thanks all!! World Health Organization website (WHO) http://www.who.int/en/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/ |
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| Whatever | Apr 30 2009, 07:47 PM Post #15 |
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The reason why it's so bad is because it's a new strain that people have no immunity against. I guess it's four flu viruses that have mutated together---pig, bird and human. "The new virus has genes from North American swine influenza, avian influenza, human influenza and a form of swine influenza normally found in Asia and Europe, said Nancy Cox, chief of the CDC's Influenza Division." Yikes! This ain't no ordinary flu! Edited by Whatever, Apr 30 2009, 07:52 PM.
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| IlikeLIvonia | May 1 2009, 09:28 AM Post #16 |
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Monday, April 27, 2009 Swine Flu: Getting the Facts Right Is it me—or has there been more uninformed reporting than usual over the past few days about the developing outbreak of human swine flu? Could it be the wholesale exodus of experienced health reporters from many newspapers and magazines is having an effect on the quality of coverage? Flu is not a topic that general assignment reporters can easily get up to speed on overnight. I have read news reports cautioning people not to get near pigs for fear of contracting swine flu. Not true. The new human swine flu is transmitted from person to person. So you minimize your risk of getting it by keeping your distance from other people, washing hands, reminding folks to cover their nose and mouth when they sneeze. A number of news articles ominously report that the new human swine flu is H1N1—the same subtype as was responsible for the 1918 pandemic. The implication—that a terrifying type of flu has come back after more than 90 years. Yes, the 1918 flu was caused by an H1N1 strain. But the H1N1 subtype is now very common. Indeed, it has caused many seasonal flu outbreaks over the past 90 years. The current vaccine even includes a strain of H1N1, first identified in Brisbane in 2007. So if the new flu is H1N1 and H1N1 subtypes have been around for years, why are health officials so worried? Because the arrangement of genetic components of the new flu have never been seen before—whether in pigs or people. And they are different enough from the recent strains that the body’s immune system may not be able to mount a quickly effective response. Many news sites are also reporting as fact that the flu is killing more people under the age of 60 than the usual seasonal flu. We don’t actually know this for sure. Yes, there have been lots of reports of middle-aged people dying from the flu in Mexico. That’s worrisome because it’s the same pattern of fatalities that was seen in the 1918 pandemic. But that is only part of the story. There are other possible explanations for the pattern of middle-aged deaths: maybe those were the folks who went to the hospital first. Maybe health officials haven’t paid as close attention to deaths among the elderly because they are so much more common. It could still be a true cluster of middle-aged deaths but we probably won’t know that for at least another couple of weeks. Lots of headlines are also proclaiming that countries are racing to “prevent the pandemic.” Sorry, that horse is out of the barn. This flu has already been confirmed in Mexico, the U.S., Canada and cases are suspected in New Zealand, Israel and Western Europe. If there is going to be a pandemic, there will be a pandemic. That will depend on how virulent the virus is—something that we don’t know yet. What people can do is mitigate the damage. Sort of like a hurricane. You can’t stop it from coming ashore but you can try to protect as many people as possible from drowning. In addition to newsfeeds at the Centers for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ and the World Health Organization http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/ , here are some of the folks I have come to trust for information on the current flu outbreak: Anything written by Helen Branswell http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=%22helen+branswell%22+flu, Canadian medical reporter. Her coverage of flu and the potential for pandemic flu over the past several years has been stellar. She is also @diseasegeek http://twitter.com/diseasegeek on Twitter. Tara Smith at Aetiology http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/. Tara is an assistant professor of epidemiology, whose research focuses on pathogens that jump from animals to humans. Very readable and very smart. The Reveres at Effect Measure http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/. Anonymous, opinionated but well-informed, from public health professionals. Crof at H5N1 http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/. Crof has been a smart aggregator about avian flu and potential pandemic news for years but is now including human swine flu. The pandemic flu section of the Center for Infectious Disease Research http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/ and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota. Good, if technical overview on swineflu, also at CIDRAP http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/biofacts/swinefluoverview.html. And here are some web resources to understand flu and potential flu pandemics better. I’m chasing down links to some other tools and will add them as I learn them. One-stop access to US government information on pandemic flu http://www.pandemicflu.gov/ The Nieman Reports special issue on preparing to cover pandemic flu http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=100257 Association of Health Care Journalists ($60 per year) http://www.healthjournalism.org/. Members have access on the website to excellent content created specifically for journalists covering flu. (Update: AHCJ has now made its flu resources freely available.) http://www.healthjournalism.org/resources-tips-details.php?id=254 The basic science section of the Flu Wiki http://www.fluwikie.com/pmwiki.php?n=Science.Science WHO's excellent guide to risk communications in a pandemic http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/WHO_CDS_2005_32/en/index.html General overview on pandemic flu http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/pandemics/index.html, with history, by US government's Health and Human Services. http://globalhealthreport.blogspot.com/2009/04/swine-flu-stocking-up-on-soup-just-in.html http://globalhealthreport.blogspot.com/2009/04/swine-flu-getting-facts-right.html Edited by IlikeLIvonia, May 1 2009, 01:18 PM.
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| Vanna White | May 1 2009, 07:10 PM Post #17 |
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There certainly is a lot of mis-information. Look to the CDC and WHO or quotes from them for the best info. No need to panic here at all. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/med_swine_flu World Health Organization website (WHO) http://www.who.int/en/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/ Swine flu may be less potent than first feared AP By MIKE STOBBE and DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writers – 32 mins ago The swine flu outbreak that has alarmed the world for a week now appears less ominous, with the virus showing little staying power in the hardest-hit cities and scientists suggesting it lacks the genetic fortitude of past killer bugs. President Barack Obama even voiced hope Friday that it may turn out to be no more harmful than the average seasonal flu. In New York City, which has the most confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. with 49, swine flu has not spread far beyond cases linked to one Catholic school. In Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, very few relatives of flu victims seem to have caught it. A flu expert said he sees no reason to believe the virus is particularly lethal. And a federal scientist said the germ's genetic makeup lacks some traits seen in the deadly 1918 flu pandemic strain and the more recent killer bird flu. Still, it was too soon to be certain what the swine flu virus will do. Experts say the only wise course is to prepare for the worst. But in a world that's been rattled by the specter of a global pandemic, glimmers of hope were more than welcome Friday. "It may turn out that H1N1 runs its course like ordinary flus, in which case we will have prepared and we won't need all these preparations," Obama said, using the flu's scientific name. The president stressed the government was still taking the virus very seriously, adding that even if this round turns out to be mild, the bug could return in a deadlier form during the next flu season. New York officials said after a week of monitoring the disease that the city's outbreak gives little sign of spreading beyond a few pockets or getting more dangerous. All but two of the city's confirmed cases so far involve people associated with the high school where the local outbreak began and where several students had recently returned from Mexico. More than 1,000 students, parents and faculty there reported flu symptoms over just a few days last month. But since then, only a handful of new infections have been reported — only eight students since last Sunday. Almost everyone who became ill before then are either recovering or already well. The school, which was closed this past week, is scheduled to reopen Monday. No new confirmed cases were identified in the city on Friday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the outbreak in New York had so far proved to be "a relatively minor annoyance." In Mexico, where swine flu has killed at least 15 people and the confirmed case count has surpassed 300, the health secretary said few of the relatives of 86 suspected swine flu patients had caught the virus. Only four of the 219 relatives surveyed turned up as probable cases. As recently as Wednesday, Mexican authorities said there were 168 suspected swine flu deaths in the country and almost 2,500 suspected cases. The officials have stopped updating that number and say those totals may have even been inflated. Mexico shut down all but essential government services and private businesses Friday, the start of a five-day shutdown that includes a holiday weekend. Authorities there will use the break to determine whether emergency measures can be eased. In the Mexican capital, there were no reports of deaths overnight — the first time that has happened since the emergency was declared a week ago, said Mayor Marcelo Ebrard. "This isn't to say we are lowering our guard or we think we no longer have problems," Ebrard said. "But we're moving in the right direction." The U.S. case count rose to 155 on Friday, based on federal and state counts, although state laboratory operators believe the number is higher because they are not testing all suspected cases. Worldwide, the total confirmed cases neared 600, although that number is also believed to be much larger. Besides the U.S. and Mexico, the virus has been detected in Canada, New Zealand, China, Israel and eight European nations. There were still plenty of signs Friday of worldwide concern. China decided to suspend flights from Mexico to Shanghai because of a case of swine flu confirmed in a flight from Mexico, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. And in Hong Kong, hundreds of hotel guests and workers were quarantined after a tourist from Mexico tested positive for swine flu, Asia's first confirmed case. Evoking the 2003 SARS outbreak, workers in protective suits and masks wiped down tables, floors and windows. Guests at the hotel waved to photographers from their windows. Scientists looking closely at the H1N1 virus itself have found some encouraging news, said Nancy Cox, flu chief at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its genetic makeup doesn't show specific traits that showed up in the 1918 pandemic virus, which killed about 40 million to 50 million people worldwide. "However, we know that there is a great deal that we do not understand about the virulence of the 1918 virus or other influenza viruses" that caused serious illnesses, Cox said. "So we are continuing to learn." She told The Associated Press that the swine flu virus also lacked genetic traits associated with the virulence of the bird flu virus, which grabbed headlines a few years ago and has killed 250 people, mostly in Asia. Researchers will get a better idea of how dangerous this virus is over the next week to 10 days, said Peter Palese, a leading flu researcher with Mount Sinai Medical School in New York. So far in the United States, he said, the virus appears to look and behave like the garden-variety flus that strike every winter. "There is no real reason to believe this is a more serious strain," he said. Palese said many adults probably have immune systems primed to handle the virus because it is so similar to another common flu strain. As for why the illness has predominantly affected children and teenagers in New York, Palese said older people probably have more antibodies from exposure to similar types of flu that help them fight off infection. "The virus is so close," he said. In the United States, most of the people with swine flu have been treated at home. Only nine people are known to have ended up in the hospital, though officials suspect there are more. In Mexico, officials have voiced optimism for two days that the worst may be over. But Dr. Scott F. Dowell of the CDC said it's hard to know whether the outbreak is easing up in Mexico. "They're still seeing plenty of cases," Dowell said. He said outbreaks in any given area might be relatively brief, so that they may seem to be ending in some areas that had a lot of illness a few weeks ago. But cases are occurring elsewhere, and national numbers in Mexico are not abating, he said. A top Mexican medical officer questioned the World Health Organization's handling of the early signs of the swine flu scare, suggesting Thursday that a regional arm of the WHO had taken too long to notify WHO headquarters of about a unusually late rash of flu cases in Mexico. The regional agency, however, provided a timeline to the AP suggesting it was Mexico that failed to respond to its request to alert other nations to the first hints of the outbreak. The Mexican official, chief epidemiologist Dr. Miguel Angel Lezana, backtracked Friday, telling Radio Formula: "There was no delay by the Mexican authorities, nor was there any by the World Health Organization." In the U.S., Obama said efforts were focused on identifying people who have the flu, getting medical help to the right places and providing clear advice to state and local officials and the public. The president also said the U.S. government is working to produce a vaccine down the road, developing clear guidelines for school closings and trying to ensure businesses cooperate with workers who run out of sick leave. He pointed out that regular seasonal flus kill about 36,000 people in the United States in an average year and send 200,000 to the hospital. ___ Associated Press writers Malcolm Ritter in New York, Lauran Neergaard in Washington, and Paul Haven, E. Eduardo Castillo, Andrew O. Selsky and Istra Pacheco in Mexico City contributed to this report. |
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| LPS Reformer | May 3 2009, 09:46 AM Post #18 |
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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 Fear makes a better story. World Health Organization website (WHO) http://www.who.int/en/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/ |
 LPS Reform Blog++++LPS Salary List 12/07 LPS Salary List 6/09 Contact me at: LPSReformer@gmail.com | |
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| Auntie A | May 3 2009, 03:57 PM Post #19 |
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A friend of mine works for Plymouth-Canton schools and told me today that their district will be closed tomorrow and Tuesday. I guess there was a suspected but not confirmed case of this flu virus in one of the high schools. |
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| IlikeLIvonia | May 3 2009, 04:16 PM Post #20 |
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Plymouth-Canton Schools reports swine flu case BY TONY BRUSCATO • OBSERVER STAFF WRITER • May 3, 2009 http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090503/NEWS03/90503005 Plymouth-Canton Schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday because of a probable case of the H1N1flu, commonly referred to as the swine flu. In a note to parents on its Web site, school officials said the Wayne County Health Department informed the district late Saturday night that a 16-year-old student was sick with what is considered a probable case of H1N1 flu. “For this reason, The Plymouth-Canton Community Schools will be closed on Monday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 5, 2009. Classes for students in grades kindergarten through 12 are cancelled. This includes all after school activities, athletic events and practices, club meetings and Community Education classes. “This student in question had limited exposure to others during the illness, but district officials will be disinfecting all of its school buildings as a precautionary measure. As with any virus, the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection is to reduce exposure to others. For this reason, the school closure will allow time for families to assess their own family health situation. The district will inform the public of any further action on Tuesday, May 5. “Be assured that the health and safety of your children and our community are foremost in our planning. Please check the district Web site www.pccs.k12.mi.us for further updates. Parent communication will be delivered via the district’s rapid telephone calling system.” Frank Ruggirello, Plymouth-Canton Schools director of communications, said the decision to close schools was a precautionary measure. “We are closing school so we can wait for test results, which are being sent to Atlanta (where the CDC is located),” Ruggirello said. “We should know by Tuesday if it’s a confirmed case, then make any additional decisions. “We’ve been working with the Wayne County Health Department on what to do,” he said. “We’ll be wiping down common areas with a disinfectant. We’ve made sure it kills that particular strain.” (2 of 2) Word of the probable swine flu case came very early Sunday morning. Pastor Dan McGhee of Harvest Bible Chapel said he received a telephone call at 4:30 this morning from a Plymouth-Canton Schools maintenance worker notifying him that church services and classes held at Discovery Middle School in Canton were being cancelled. “He told me our services were being cancelled because there’s a suspected case of swine flu in the district,” McGhee said. “I asked if there was another school we could use and he said they were locking down the whole district today. I asked if they were having school on Monday, but he said they didn’t know for sure because they were waiting to hear back from the Centers for Disease Control.” McGhee said Harvest Bible Chapel has been renting Discovery for services the past two years. The congregation generally as 250-275 members on a typical Sunday for a 10:30 a.m. service and children’s classes. “Obviously, we’ve been scrambling all morning to get information to our people,” he said. “We’ve been sending them to a sister church, Canton Christian Fellowship on Joy Road (in Canton) this morning.” McGhee said his church members can go to the Web site, www.harvestcanton.org or call (734) 459-7795, for more information. tbruscato@hometownlife.com | (313) 222-2637 Possible swine flu case hits Plymouth-Canton By Tony Bruscato • Observer Staff Writer • May 3, 2009 http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090503/NEWS15/90503003 Plymouth-Canton Schools reportedly has a case involving the N1H1 - swine -flu. School officials declined to comment on the situation this morning, only noting they will have something to say later today. However, Pastor Dan McGhee of Harvest Bible Chapel said he received a telephone call at 4:30 this morning from a Plymouth-Canton Schools maintenance worker notifying him that church services and classes held at Discovery Middle School were being cancelled "He told me our services were being cancelled because there's a suspected case of swine flu in the district," McGhee said. "I asked if there was another school we could use and he said they were locking down the whole district today. I asked if they were having school on Monday, but he said they didn't know for sure because they were waiting to hear back from the Centers for Disease Control." McGhee said Harvest Bible Chapel has been renting Discovery for services the past two years. The congregation generally as 250-275 members on a typical Sunday for a 10:30 a.m. service and children's classes. "Obviously, we've been scrambling all morning to get information to our people," he said. "We've been sending them to a sister church, Canton Christian Fellowship on Joy Road (in Canton) this morning." McGhee said his church members can go to the Web site, www.harvestcanton.org or call (734) 459-7795, for more information tbruscato@hometownlife.com | (313) 222-2637 Edited by IlikeLIvonia, May 3 2009, 04:20 PM.
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