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Politics : Swine Flu -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E. Charters who wrote (258)	6/18/2009 11:59:16 PM
From: Rock_nj	Respond to of 463

'Something different" happening with new flu - CDC Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:41pm EDT Up to 7 percent of population sick in heavily hit areas Flu season could last all year this year in US By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor WASHINGTON, June 18 (Reuters) - The new strain of H1N1 flu is causing "something different" to happen in the United States this year -- perhaps an extended year-round flu season that disproportionately hits young people, health officials said on Thursday. An unusually cool late spring may be helping keep the infection going in the U.S. Northeast, especially densely populated areas in New York and Massachusetts, the officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. And infections among healthcare workers suggest that people are showing up at work sick -- meaning that workplace policies may be contributing to its spread, the CDC officials said. The new strain of swine flu is officially a pandemic now, according to the World Health Organization. So far the virus is causing mild to moderate disease, but it has killed at least 167 people and been confirmed in nearly 40,000 globally. The United States has been hardest hit, with upward of 100,000 likely cases and probably far more, with 44 deaths and 1,600 hospitalized. "The fact that we are seeing ongoing transmission now indicates that we are seeing something different," the CDC's Dr. Daniel Jernigan told a news briefing. "And we believe that that may have to do with the complete lack of immunity to this particular virus among those that are most likely affected. And those are children," Jernigan added. "The areas of the country that are most affected, some of them have very high population densities, like Boston and New York. So that may be a contributor as well. Plus the temperature in that part of the country is cooler, and we know that influenza appears to like the cooler times of the year for making transmission for effective." Jernigan said in areas that are the most affected up to 7 percent of the population has influenza-like illness. SUMMER OF FLU "The United States will likely continue to see influenza activity through the summer, and at this point we're anticipating that we will see the novel H1N1 continue with activity probably all the way into our flu season in the fall and winter. The amount of activity we expect to be low, and then pick up later." One worrying pattern: healthcare workers are being infected, and most reported they did little or nothing to protect themselves, the CDC's Dr. Mike Bell said. People coming into emergency departments or clinics need to be checked right away for flu symptoms and anyone working with such a patient needs to wear a mask, gloves and eyewear, Bell said. "We're beginning to see a pattern of healthcare personnel-to-healthcare personnel transmission in some of the clusters, which is also concerning, because it gets to the issue of people showing up to work sick," Bell said. Doctors, nurses and technicians who have flu can spread it to vulnerable patients, Bell noted. As of May 13, the CDC said it had received 48 reports of healthcare workers infected with swine flu. Detailed case reports on 26 showed that 13 were infected in a healthcare setting such as a clinic or hospital and 12 caught it from infected patients, the CDC said in its weekly report on death and disease. reuters.com

To: E. Charters who wrote (258)	6/19/2009 1:53:59 AM
From: Yorikke	Respond to of 463

EC, Seasonality may or may not be an issue. What are the stats for non H1N1 flu incidence? The fact is we really don't know because flu is not a highly reported disease. People get it, suffer through it, and move on. The statistics are for those who suffer severe symptoms. In my area we had a strain that has gone through the population and a very heavy handed way. Its not H1N1 but it did a lot of economic damage. Didn't see that reported. Most people just stayed home for days at a time. Unusual Genetic Make-up. Yes it is unusual, but does that classify it as deadly. No. Sure it has potential but that does not confirm a pandemic nature. Kills outside the range. I don't buy your comments on the failure to report 'other medical factors'. Fact is very few deaths have occurred as a result of H1N1, and that is the reported and confirmed cases. How many more people are catching this and just staying home. We don't know. Easy spread. Well that may be a result of increased travel and movement of populations, and not the result of the disease itself. Are there any statistics for non H1N1 flu spread. What makes H1N1 spread 'easy' as opposed to other strains being hard?? I do not deny that H1N1 may develope into a pandemic. But its nature does not appear to be any more severe than other flu strains. If public health personnel are to be concerned maybe they should look at current death rates from non H1N1 flu and determine how to reduce that. If as much effort was put into reducing current flu strain infection many more people would be alive to today ....and tomorrow. I just don't see the Pandemic nature of the H1N1 disease. It is a more 'sexy' flu strain than common flu strains because it carries with it that unknown and 'deadly' label, so it is getting more play in the press. Meanwhile many more people are dying from the old boring type of flu.

To: E. Charters who wrote (258)	6/23/2009 1:03:19 PM
From: average joe	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 463

Swine flu kills Brampton girl, 6, in 24 hrs Jun 23, 2009 04:30 AM Theresa Boyle A 6-year-old Brampton girl with swine flu died only a day after she began showing flu-like symptoms. The child, who attended Roberta Bondar Public School, passed away a week ago and it was only discovered after she died that she had the H1N1 influenza virus. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined, but the virus is known to have been a contributing factor, Dr. Arlene King, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, told a news conference yesterday. The child got a fever and began vomiting on Sunday, June 14, and died the following day. An autopsy was performed and lab results revealed last Friday she did indeed have the virus. She is the fourth Ontarian with the virus to die. Quebec health officials released a statement late yesterday afternoon to announce two new deaths in the province. They gave no details and did not return calls. The deaths of the two Quebecers and the Brampton girl bring to 16 the number of Canadians to die after contracting swine flu. Though the child, whose identity has not been made public, did not have any apparent pre-existing medical problems, the coroner's office is now trying to determine whether she had an undiagnosed condition. It's not known how the girl contracted the virus, but two members of her extended family had mild cases. Officials are providing few details about the girl's death, including where she died. All King would say was that she did not die in hospital or at home. Yesterday, Dr. David Mowat, medical officer of health for Peel, sent a letter to students, parents and staff at the elementary school, advising them that the girl was not symptomatic when she was in class. "As such, the risk of transmission of H1N1 flu virus from this student to others in the school is very low," he wrote. King said children at the school should continue attending class unless they feel ill. "At this time, we do not recommend that any schools be closed if there is a suspect or confirmed case," she said. There have been more than 2,650 confirmed cases of swine flu in Ontario – and more than 5,700 across Canada – but most are considered mild with symptoms very similar to an annual seasonal flu. Meantime, an international conference on disaster management being held in Toronto heard that private businesses are purchasing their own supplies of antiviral medications to prevent employees from being infected. Amin Mawani, a professor with the Schulich School of Business at York University, said it's advisable for companies to take such measures to curb employee absenteeism and protect profits in the event that a second, more severe wave of the virus strikes in the fall. "Pandemic planning can be viewed as insurance," he said. But Alison Stuart, assistant deputy minister of public health, said the province is not advocating that such measures be taken. "We have not recommended to either the health sector or more broadly to other sectors in Ontario that they stockpile antivirals as (preventative measures)." thestar.com