2009-05-05T03:49:00.000-07:00

Latest News of Swine Flu

Swine Flu At A Glance
Swine Flu Stats How Many Are Sick, Dead
By CBS News
Tue May 5, 2009

Deaths

All deaths so far have been confined to Mexico. As of May 4, 2009, there have been 26 confirmed deaths there, although earlier reports had indicated as many as 120 may have died from the H1N1 strain.

Sickened

As of May 4, 2009, there are 590 confirmed cases in Mexico (Mexico is no longer releasing "suspected" numbers); 247 confirmed in U.S.; 101 in Canada; 44 in Spain; and 27 in Great Britain. There were also confirmed Germany, New Zealand, Israel, Italy, France, El Salvador, Austria, Costa Rica, Colombia, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea and Switzerland

Spread in Mexico

Swine flu has been found in 17 states, including Mexico City, Mexico State, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Baja California and San Luis Potosi. Some, including Oaxaca, Mexico City and Baja California, have tourist areas, but authorities have not said where in these states the outbreaks have occurred.

Spread in the U.S.

As of May 4, 2009, the CDC and officials in several states have confirmed 286 cases in 35 states (New York, Texas and California have the most cases).

Worldwide Safety Measures

Airports worldwide are screening travelers from Mexico and United States for flu symptoms.

China, Russia, Taiwan and Bolivia plan to put anyone with symptoms under quarantine. China has halted direct flights from Mexico.

Hong Kong and South Korea warn against travel to Mexico City and three provinces.

Italy, Poland and Venezuela advised citizens to postpone travel to affected areas of Mexico and the United States.

Some countries are increasing their screening of pigs and pork imports or banning them outright.

Flu Fallout

World stock markets have fallen amid fears an outbreak could derail economic recovery. Airlines are hit hard as travel companies in Europe and Asia cancel tours to Mexico. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are offsetting market damage amid prospect of global demand for antiviral medications. Egypt ordered slaughter of all the country's 300,000 pigs. Canada says a swine herd in Alberta likely was infected by a farm worker who returned from Mexico.

Flu-hit Mexico plans recovery
By Alistair Bell and Daniel Trotta
Tue May 5, 2009 12:20am EDT

Mexico announced plans on Monday to revive its economy hit by a deadly swine flu epidemic it says has eased, but the global alert has triggered a trade dispute over bans on Mexican, U.S. and Canadian pork.

In a broadcast to the nation, President Felipe Calderon said the planned stimulus package would include a temporary reduction in taxes for cruise lines that visit Mexico, in a bid to lure back shiploads of foreign visitors.

The tourism sector, which accounts for 8 percent of Mexico's economy, has been badly hit by the epidemic of a new H1N1 flu virus strain, which prompted major operators like Carnival Cruise Lines to cancel visits.

"We are now going to concentrate on achieving the recovery of the economy as fast as possible," Calderon said, adding details of the stimulus plan would be given in coming days. "We're going to come out of this experience successfully and soon."

He repeated government assurances that Mexico, epicenter of the flu outbreak that has now infected more than 1,200 people in 21 countries, was over the worst of its own epidemic.

To date, 27 deaths have been confirmed -- 26 in Mexico and one in the United States. The flu's global spread has kept alive fears of a possible pandemic, although scientists say this strain does not appear more deadly than seasonal flu.

IMPACT ON TOURISM, AIRLINES

While the new H1N1 virus is not foodborne, fears of cross-border contagion stirred up international trade tensions after about 20 nations banned imports of pigs, pork and other meat from the United States, Canada and Mexico, the three most flu-affected countries.

Canada threatened to take China to the World Trade Organization unless Beijing backs down from its ban on imports of pigs and pork from the province of Alberta, where a herd of pigs was found to have the H1N1 strain.

Health experts, citing precedents such as the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that killed millions of people, warn the latest epidemic could attack more violently a few months from now.

In a brewing diplomatic dispute between Mexico and China over the treatment of Mexican citizens caught up in the flu alert, Mexico sent a plane to retrieve dozens of its nationals quarantined by Chinese authorities.

Mexico accused Beijing of discrimination against Mexicans, but China's Foreign Ministry rejected the criticism.

Calderon condemned the quarantine measures against Mexican citizens overseas as "discriminatory."

In Mexico, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said the government would lift the precautionary five-day shutdown it had imposed on public and business activities on May 1.

"(We will) resume, as planned, activities in the public and private sector on May 6 with recommendations on matters of health and hygiene at the work place," Cordova said.

Mexican schools would remain closed until May 11 and only reopen after cleaning and amid tight health screening.

An International Labor Organization official, Jean Maninat, said the flu epidemic would hurt employment in Latin America, hitting tourism and airline sectors the hardest.

Carnival Cruise Lines said earlier on Monday it had canceled all Mexico port visits for 16 of its ships through June 15 due to the flu alert.

European finance ministers said they saw no evidence the H1N1 flu was hurting Europe's economy.

While U.S. hog futures fell on Monday over the flu alert, Mexico's peso made its biggest gains in more than six months and stocks jumped as health fears eased.

NO PANDEMIC ALERT YET

With infections of the new flu strain cropping up across the globe, the World Health Organization wavered over whether it might declare a full pandemic alert.

WHO chief Margaret Chan said the apparent good news from Mexico over the epidemic had to be treated with caution.

Before issuing a level 6 pandemic alert, WHO would need to see the virus spreading within communities in Europe or Asia.

"We are not there yet," Chan told a U.N. General Assembly session. "No one can say right now how the pandemic will evolve or indeed whether we are going into a pandemic."

In the United States, the second-biggest focus of infection after Mexico, the new virus has now infected 286 people in 36 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

"We are seeing over 700 probable cases in a total of 44 states," said the CDC's acting director, Richard Besser.

So far 99 percent of probable cases have, upon further testing, turned out to be the new H1N1 strain, he added.

Many Mexicans, chafing after days of isolation at home, are desperate to get back to work after a period of inactivity that has hit family incomes at a time of global recession.

"It's going to be a disaster if this carries on," said Martin Velasquez, 28, a construction worker.

Facts of Swine Flu, Its Symptoms, and How it is Transmitted

FACTBOX: Flu spreads silently, causes vague symptoms
By Maggie Fox
Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:41am EDT

A new strain of influenza has killed 103 people in Mexico and spread across North America and possibly as far afield as Spain and New Zealand. No one is certain about how virulent the virus is -- meaning how severe the symptoms are -- or what its patterns of transmission are.

Here are some facts about influenza in general, its symptoms and how it is transmitted.

* "Influenza" refers to a family of viruses that include influenza A, influenza B and influenza C.

* Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, muscle aches, headaches, cough and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. Flu feels far more severe than a cold.

* People can pass flu along before they feel ill and after they feel better. Flu viruses can be found not only in nasal secretions but in fecal matter.

* The "incubation period" for flu -- the time it takes from infection before symptoms develop -- is usually about 24 to 48 hours, although it is not clear what the case is for this new H1N1 swine flu virus.

* The virus can be transmitted on particles of saliva and mucus when people cough and sneeze close to one another. Experts generally agree that three feet (1 meter) is the distance these particles can travel between people.

* Flu viruses can also live for days or even weeks on dry surfaces. More and more evidence shows that people very frequently infect themselves by touching a contaminated surface, such as a computer keyboard, and then touching the nose, eyes or mouth.

* Flu viruses evolve, or mutate, constantly. New strains emerge regularly, which is why the annual flu vaccine must be reformulated every year.

* Flu viruses are believed all to originate in animals. Little changes or mutations in the DNA can allow them to more easily infect people. Some cause more serious symptoms than others.

* Flu viruses are frequently deadly. The World Health Organization estimates that flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people in a normal year, more during pandemics, which last occurred in 1968, 1957 and 1918.

* Flu can kill directly by causing pneumonia, and it can also make people more vulnerable to bacterial infections that also kill.

Vaccines

U.S. vaccine supply could be limited in flu pandemic
By Lisa Richwine
Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:48pm EDT

Manufacturers have taken initial steps, but it would require months to make a vaccine to fight the new strain.

An immunization against a pandemic virus "will probably be the most highly sought-after product on the face of the earth," said Mike Osterholm, director of the Minnesota-based Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

"In the face of a pandemic, it's hard to imagine any country willingly letting vaccine leave from within its border to another country just because there's a contract" with the U.S. government, he said.

The precarious situation was highlighted in 2004 when a British flu vaccine plant was contaminated, wiping out half the U.S. supply for that year.

The Bush administration in 2006 gave $1 billion to five companies to modernize production of vaccines and make them in the United States. The goal was to establish enough domestic capacity to supply vaccine within six months of the start of a pandemic to the entire U.S. population of about 300 million.

Building up U.S. production is still ongoing.

Sanofi-Aventis SA is the major supplier for the U.S. market, making about 50 million doses annually at a plant in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania.

A second Swiftwater plant could produce another 50 million doses of seasonal vaccine this year if cleared by U.S. regulators, Sanofi spokeswoman Donna Cary said. When fully operational, that plant could churn out 100 million doses of the three-strain seasonal vaccine, said Cary, but she declined to say when that would be.

Other companies including GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Novartis AG make at least part of the vaccine outside the U.S.

PHENOMENAL EXPANSION

The funding for vaccine manufacturing has produced "phenomenal expansion in manufacturing capacity," Dr. Anne Schuchat, an interim deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a Senate hearing.

Asked if the United States could produce 300 million doses domestically now, Schuchat said officials were "very optimistic," but added: "This virus can surprise us, and even with all those investments it may just technically be difficult."

Other experts agreed preparedness efforts had helped, particularly with Sanofi boosting its U.S.-based production.

"We are in a good position right now in the United States," said Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, who serves on the pandemic flu task force of the Infectious Diseases Society of America as well as a U.S. government advisory committee on vaccines.

Companies limit production each year based on how much officials think they can sell, and they could make more, she added.

Also, the seasonal vaccine contains three flu strains, but a pandemic vaccine might need only one. "You can make three times as much if only one strain is in the vaccine," Neuzil said.

Osterholm said it was too soon to predict the U.S. capacity, as it would depend in part on what dose would be needed and whether it could be stretched with an ingredient known as an adjuvant. "There clearly has been some increase (in capacity), but it's not clear what the increase is," he said.

Neuzil said antiviral drugs could help address any shortfall by treating or preventing the flu, although the medicines do not offer long-term protection.

She said she worried more about vaccine availability for poor countries than for the United States.

"Ninety-five percent of influenza vaccine is made in the U.S. and Europe. As a global community, we also need to consider supply for the low-resource countries," she said.

How to Protect Yourselves from Swine Flu

Swine Flu Survival: The Science of a Single Sneeze (and Three Simple Ways to Protect Yourself)
Ben SherwoodAuthor, Journalist, Founder and CEO of TheSurvivorsClub.org
Posted April 27, 2009 01:56 PM (EST)

A single sneeze propels 100,000 droplets into the air at around 90 mph, landing on door knobs, ATM keypads, elevator buttons, escalator railings, and grocery cart handles. In a subway station at rush hour, according to British researchers, as many as 10 percent of all commuters can come in contact with the spray and residue from just one sneeze (or sternutation), that means as many as 150 commuters can be sickened by one uncovered “achoo”.

No wonder health officials are extremely concerned about the new strain of swine flu that has infected at least 20 Americans in five states, killed some 80 people in Mexico, and has traveled to the other side of the world in New Zealand. Understandably, US authorities - following the lead of the World Health Organization (WHO) - have declared a "public health emergency."

"This virus has, clearly, a pandemic potential," says Margaret Chan, director general of WHO. Why? The virulent new H1N1 swine flu strain spreads quickly and efficiently from human to human. It's "a completely novel virus," says the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). This latest variant is a mixture of human virus, bird virus, and pig viruses from all over the world. Experts say it's particularly worrisome because people are getting sick without any encounters with pigs. Even worse, young, healthy people (ages 20-40) are dying at a striking rate, a telltale sign of the worst flu epidemics.

Swine flu fears aren't new in the United States. In February 1976, a 19-year-old army private at Fort Dix, New Jersey, died within 24 hours of becoming infected with swine flu. Soon, 500 soldiers were afflicted and the US government began a controversial nationwide vaccination campaign. Ultimately, some 40 million Americans were inoculated. As a result, several hundred people developed Guillain- Barré syndrome, a serious neurological condition, and the immunization program was stopped.

What's going to happen this time? Without question, the disease will spread farther and wider. At this point, as the CDC says, it can't be contained or controlled. (The flu shot from last fall, for instance, won't combat this strain).

What can you do to protect yourself? "No single action will provide complete protection," the CDC notes, but taking a few steps can help reduce the likelihood of transmission of swine flu (or many other infections).

1. Sanitize -- i.e. Wash Your Hands Frequently. It may sound obvious, but hand-washing with soap and water for around 20 seconds is the single best thing you can do (if you're going to go out into the world and interact with other human beings). The CDC estimates that 80 percent of all infections are spread by hands. If you can't wash your hands regularly, try hand-sanitizers with 60 percent alcohol content.

2. Avoid -- i.e. Engage in "Social Distancing." That's the fancy term for reducing unnecessary social contact, staying away from crowds, and avoiding people if you're sick or if you're concerned that they may be infected. It may not be especially practical when you have to go to, say, work, but experts believe it's worth repeating: Isolation and avoidance reduce your chances of getting infected or infecting others.

(Researchers in the UK - mentioned above and sponsored by a cold remedy company - found that 99 percent of commuters suffer at least one cold per winter. By contrast, 58 percent of people who work from home and 88 per cent of those who walk to work caught a cold last winter).

If you need to go someplace crowded, the CDC says, try to spend as little time as possible and try to stay six feet away from potentially infected people. Wearing a surgical or dental facemask - cleared by the FDA as a medical device - "can help prevent some exposures," the CDC says, but they're not foolproof.

3. Be Alert -- i.e. Recognize the Symptoms and Get Help. Swine flu symptoms are similar to regular flu: Fever, body aches, sore throat, cough, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. If you don't feel well, seek medical attention. So far, it's important to note, this swine flu is treatable (and absolutely survivable). It's resistant to two of four antiviral drugs approved for combating the flu: Symmetrel and Flumadine. But two newer antivirals - Tamiflu and Relenza - appear to work.

What are the chances of a global pandemic? "The situation is uncertain and unpredictable and likely to be a marathon more than a sprint," says Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We expect there to be a broader spectrum of disease here in the U.S.," adds Dr. Anne Schuchat, interim deputy director for the agency's Science and Public Health Program. "I do fear that we will have deaths here."

Swine flu will dominate news headlines in the days ahead. Every case around the world will be carefully tracked and tallied -- and deservedly so. It may not sound like much, but the best defense involves some very simple steps: Every sneeze should be covered -- preferably with the crook of an arm - and every hand should be washed ... and washed again.

Effects from Swine Flu

Flu could boost drug makers, hit tourism and trade
By Eric Beech
Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:51pm EDT

An outbreak of swine flu, which has killed up to 81 people in Mexico and infected others in the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand, could have a significant economic impact:

* The World Bank estimated in 2008, before the current global recession, that a flu pandemic could cost $3 trillion and result in a nearly 5 percent drop in world gross domestic product.

* The travel and tourism industries could be severely affected. Travelers may cancel trips and flights and many businesses have plans to limit travel if a pandemic starts.

* The Air Transport Association, an airline trade group, said so far there had been no decision to restrict travel between the United States and Mexico. WHO advises countries that restricting flights would be futile once a disease has started spreading. The U.S. Commerce Department says about 5.9 million U.S. citizens flew to Mexico in 2008.

* Pork producers in the United States and Mexico could see a drop in sales, but there is no evidence that any of the flu cases stemmed from contact with pigs. Prices for hogs fell on Friday to a two-month low in the United States. Mexico is the No. 2 market for U.S. pork, valued at $691.28 million. Russia said it had imposed curbs on meat imports from Mexico and the United Arab Emirates said it was considering banning imports of all pork products from Mexico and the United States.

* Some drug makers may benefit. Roche Holding AG's and Gilead Sciences Inc.'s Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline Plc's and Biota's Relenza are both recommended drugs for seasonal flu and have been shown to work against the new disease. Tamiflu is expected to be in greatest demand in a pandemic as it is a pill. Relenza must be inhaled.

* Leading flu vaccine manufacturers, including Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis SA, Glaxo, Novartis AG and Baxter International Inc, said they were on standby to start the development of a vaccine, which could take months to prepare.

* Oil prices, already depressed by the global recession, could fall further if the outbreak hurts travel and economic activity.

My Reaction

1) Even though it's called swine flu, this new strain is not infecting pigs and has never been seen in pigs. The threat is person to person transmission. When a new strain of flu starts infecting people and acquires the ability to pass from person to person, it can spark a pandemic.

2) Since the swine flu has been found first at Mexico and it has spread out worldwide, anyhow, all deaths so far have been confined to Mexico; therefore, Mexico should handle this problem more strongly. They could acknowledge their people to be more aware of the flu and isolate those who has already infected. Plus, people who want to depart from Mexico should be carefully check on their health, especially before they get on the plane as a preventive way of broaden this virus to other countries.

3) Isolation is important for infected people to avoid the transmission of the virus to others.

4) The governments in every country, both infected and still-uninfected countries, should acknowledge their people what swine flu is, its symptoms, how it is transmitted, and how to protect themselves from it. Besides, people themselves have to follow up the world’s current news and be prepared to cope with this problem.

5) There is still no obvious cure for this flu because no one is certain about how virulent the virus is or what its patterns of transmission are. The vaccines still in high needs since it is not enough for people both developed and undeveloped countries. People should not rely only on vaccines; health protection should be concerned first in order to prevent the flu.

6) Since Tamiflu is expected to be in greatest demand in a pandemic as it is a pill, Relenza must be inhaled, thus every country should prepare and develop this medicine in order to find the cure solution to this swine flu.

7) Now every country is trying to protect their people from Swine flu, but one thing to keep in mind is that the virus could mutate to worse form which could emerge worse situation than now. Thus, there must be more secured protection than present day, at the same time, the solution to get rid of this virus should be discovered before it is too late.

8) Aside from the health effects, economic damage would likely be one of the worst effects of a pandemic as workers would stay at home resulting in decreasing of consumption and trade.

9) Although pork production is not involved with swine flu, but many countries has stopped meat imported from Mexico and the USA which caused worse in economy situation.

10) Airlines and tourism businesses are affected from swine flu hardly. Within the country, they should encourage their people to limit their travels, probably only in the country, for a while till the situation gets better.

11) Long-term consequence of Swine flue is not only heath problems, but also the economic crisis. Due to the fact that Swine flu can easily infect from human to human by just one sneeze which is very hard to control its pandemic, this encourage people’s fear and demand to avoid infection by cut off connection and communication to others, eventually bulk businesses and economy would stop its circulation.

Conclusion

Virus is the thing that people cannot control or protect until it’s occurred or infected in humans. Swine flu is one of the most dangerous viruses nowadays since there’s no solution to cure this virus yet. Moreover, it could be infected easily in humans. So it’s very difficult to avoid or protect ourselves from getting the virus as communication is necessarily in daily life. Virus could be stopped in only one country if there are no transportations available; unfortunately, people are traveling around the world both for business or personal reasons which resulting in more difficult to prevent pandemic virus. This is why we have to be alert and aware of this flu in order to protect ourselves from infection. Some are afraid of meeting people so they stop working or communicating to others. But please bear in mind that economy is affected as a whole. While we are waiting for medicine, we should continue our lives with care and retain the economy to go on, otherwise, we would have faced economic crisis which medicine would not cure.