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Friday, May 29, 2009

Home Remedies to Avoid Swine Flu








Always cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; ideally use something disposable like a tissue. Avoid touching your face, nose or mouth too frequently with your hands since swine flu appears to be transmitted through respiratory droplets in the same fashion as the common cold.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water since swine flu like other viruses can be contracted by touching objects contaminated by the virus. It's unsure how long the swine flu virus can survive on surrounding surfaces.

Though alcohol based hand sanitizers don't routinely kill viruses they probably do offer some limited protection in preventing swine flu infections.

If swine flu infections have been medically confirmed in your area consider avoiding large public gatherings. Individuals can be contagious with the swine flu virus for several day before demonstrating any signs or symptoms of infection. Be particularly careful about indoor gatherings where air circulates poorly.

If you're really paranoid and don't mind looking odd then consider wearing a respiratory mask.. This barrier method does offer some basic protection against infection though not all masks are created equally. Higher quality masks capable of filtering out some respiratory infections are more expensive.

If you start feeling ill with cold or flu-like symptoms do not go to work. Stay home and begin the usual home remedies for colds and flu. Contact your health care provider, local health department or hospital emergency room if your symptoms worsen or fail to improve for information about where to go to be screened for possible swine flu infection.



What is Swine Flu? its signs and symptoms
In this video, Dr. Joe Bresee with the CDC Influenza Division describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.

What is H1N1 (swine flu)?
H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

To be more specific, Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which infects pigs. There are of many types, and the infection are constantly changing. Until now it had not normally infected humans, but the latest form clearly does, and is spread from person to person - probably through coughing and sneezing.

The World Health Organization has confirmed that at least some of the human cases are a never-before- seen version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A. H1N1 is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis. But this latest version of H1N1 is different: it contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds and swine.

Flu viruses have the ability to swap genetic components with each other, and it seems likely that the new version of H1N1 resulted from a mixing of different versions of the virus, which may usually affect different species, in the same animal host.

Pigs provide an excellent 'melting pot' for these viruses to mix and match with each other.

Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu. These include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue. Most cases so far reported around the world appear to be mild, but in Mexico lives have been lost.

Why is this new H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?
This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.

Novel H1N1 Flu in Humans

Are there human infections with this H1N1 virus in the U.S.?
Yes. Cases of human infection with this H1N1 influenza virus were first confirmed in the U.S. in Southern California and near Guadalupe County, Texas. The outbreak intensified rapidly from that time and more and more states have been reporting cases of illness from this virus.

Is this new H1N1 virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this new 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 this virus in people?
The symptoms of this new H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

How severe is illness associated with this new H1N1 virus?
It’s not known at this time how severe this virus will be in the general population. CDC is studying the medical histories of people who have been infected with this virus to determine whether some people may be at greater risk from infection, serious illness or hospitalization from the virus. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with chronic medical conditions. It’s unknown at this time whether certain groups of people are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications from infection with this new virus. CDC also is conducting laboratory studies to see if certain people might have natural immunity to this virus, depending on their age.

How does this new H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of this 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 by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?
At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. CDC is studying the virus and its capabilities to try to learn more and will provide more information as it becomes available.
Exposures Not Thought to Spread New H1N1 Flu

Can I get infected with this new H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get this new HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

Is there a risk from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.

Can the new H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues?
Influenza viruses infect the human upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of influenza virus infection associated with water exposure. Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine.

Can H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water?
Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this novel H1N1 flu 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.

Prevention & Treatment

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against this new H1N1 virus. 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.
* Stay home if you are sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.

Other important actions that you can take are:

* Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
* Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs, tissues and other related items might could be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.

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. If you are sick, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. 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. CDC recommends 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 people have been identified with new H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people, except to seek medical care.

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed

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 or gray skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* 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

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
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Are there medicines to treat infection with this new virus?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with the new H1N1 flu virus. 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. During the current outbreak, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during is to treat severe influenza illness.

The US authorities say that two drugs commonly used to treat flu, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem to be effective at treating cases that have occurred there so far. However, the drugs must be administered at an early stage to be effective. Use of these drugs may also make it less likely that infected people will pass the virus on to others


What is CDC’s recommendation regarding "swine flu parties"?
"Swine flu parties" are gatherings during which people have close contact with a person who has novel H1N1 flu in order to become infected with the virus. The intent of these parties is to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity to the novel H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease.

CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against novel H1N1 flu in the future. While the disease seen in the current novel H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus.

CDC recommends that people with novel H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. They should stay home from work or school for 7 days after the onset of illness or until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

Contamination & Cleaning

How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?
Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.

What kills influenza virus?
Influenza virus is destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. For example, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. The gels should be rubbed into hands until they are dry.

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, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How should waste disposal be handled to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash. Additionally, persons should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste.

What household cleaning should be done to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

How should linens, eating utensils and dishes of persons infected with influenza virus be handled?
Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.
Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry.

Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

The first case has already been reported from India from neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh.

What about bird flu?
The strain of bird flu which has caused scores of human deaths in South East Asia in recent years is a different strain to that responsible for the current outbreak of swine flu.

The latest form of swine flu is a new type of the H1N1 strain, while bird, or avian flu, is H5N1.

Experts fear H5N1 hold the potential to trigger a pandemic because of its ability to mutate rapidly.

However, up until now it has remained very much a disease of birds.

Those humans who have been infected have, without exception, worked closely with birds, and cases of human-to-human transmission are extremely rare - there is no suggestion that H5N1 has gained the ability to pass easily from person to person.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Flu scare reveals strapped local health agencies

The swine flu outbreak fell short of a full-blown international crisis, but revealed the precarious state of local health departments, the community bulwarks against disease and health emergencies in the United States.

A sustained, widespread pandemic would overwhelm many departments that are struggling with cutbacks as well as increased demand from people who have lost jobs and medical insurance.

Stung by the lean economy, 13 states and U.S. territories had smaller health budgets in 2008 than in 2007, and eight more made midyear cuts, according to a survey by an advocacy group, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. With local budgets also in trouble, many health officials fear a serious outbreak.

"We would be in a lot of trouble," said Alameda County's director of public health, Anthony Iton in Oakland. "We weren't tested to push the system to see how it responds when you have to make hard decisions. I worry about that because the resources have been cut."

A review by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department in January noted great strides in preparedness but said many shortfalls remain. They include the ability to maintain public health functions such as food safety and daily needs during a pandemic, and the capacity to meet surges in health care demand and to strategically close schools.

State capabilities vary. But some local departments, strapped by layoffs and working overtime on swine flu, say they could not maintain the pace in a major outbreak. An Associated Press review found troubling signs:

_Twenty-nine public health workers in Sacramento County, Calif., learned just before being called to work on swine flu that they probably will lose their jobs this summer. Senior nurse Carol Tucker, contacting potential flu victims, thought about future epidemics.

"Who will be around to do these things?" she said.

_Nationwide, officials have reported more than more than 6,700 swine flu cases, and 12 deaths.

"We have good plans and we're exercising them," said Matthew A. Stefanak, health commissioner of Mahoning County, Ohio, whose work force dropped 20 percent in two years. "But for the nuts and bolts of an outbreak - contact investigations, probable cases of H1N1 flu - we don't have the manpower, the trained disease investigators the public health nurses who would do it. That's where we're weakest right now."

_Federal investment in local emergency planning since attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has paid off in a smooth response to the limited swine flu outbreak. But the money has dwindled.

Last year at least 10,000 local and state health department jobs were lost to attrition and layoffs, including at laboratories that identify disease strains, according to surveys by the state and territorial group and the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

An annual flu-shot clinic no longer comes to town hall in Berlin Center, Ohio. "The real danger is how many just won't get shots," said Ivan Hoyle, 78.

Public health nurses such as Erica Horner won't deliver in-home newborn help in Mahoning County. With the program closed, Horner's duties will change.

_People calling for routine immunizations now reach a recording saying the Worcester, Mass., clinic is closed. With just two of its six public health nurses surviving layoffs, the city is re-evaluating its responsibilities and says it can meet emergencies by working with the University of Massachusetts and local hospitals.

Ann Cappabianca, one of the remaining nurses, scrambles to track communicable disease and tuberculosis cases. "We just can't get it all done. You try to focus on the most important thing at the moment," she said.

Worst is having to make cuts without "enough ability to assess the needs of my community," said Bob England, the health director of Arizona's sprawling Maricopa County, which closed its family planning clinic.

Public health departments will get some help from this year's stimulus spending of $1 billion for prevention and wellness efforts.

But it will take years to bring local health agencies to the point where they can fight a sustained, widespread pandemic, said Richard Hamburg, a lobbyist at the nonprofit Trust for America's Health, an advocacy group supported by private and government grants.

A report from the group in December found emergency planning gaps in areas such as rapid disease detection, food safety and "surge capacity" to quickly scale up equipment, staff and supplies to meet a major outbreak.

Dan Sosin, head of emergency response at the Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness, praised the federal swine flu response, but acknowledged that public health officials face "capacity issues in terms of ongoing resources and funding."

"We could spend more money," he said. "We could use more than we have."

The CDC's acting director, Richard Besser, told Congress last month the government is concerned about states being too short-staffed to conduct required emergency exercises.

The main fund for local health emergency planning after the Sept. 11 attacks, the federal Public Health Emergency Preparedness program, has dropped nearly one-third since a 2006 peak of almost $1 billion, according to CDC figures. The money had included a special three-year congressional allocation for pandemic flu preparation that ran out last year.

President Barack Obama now is asking Congress for $1.5 billion to fight swine flu.

A second fund to help local agencies plan for public health emergencies, the Hospital Preparedness Program, has fallen nearly a quarter from $457 million in the 2006 budget year.

Decreases in the Public Health Emergency Preparedness program were most significant in Iowa, Mississippi, Colorado, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Louisiana. After a pair of killer hurricanes hit Louisiana in 2005, Washington sent nearly $15 million in 2006 health emergency help. This year, it's down to $9.8 million.

Louisiana's dollars from the hospital program slid from $7.1 million in 2006 to $5.2 million this year.

Even New York City, site of one of the Sept. 11 attacks, saw its Public Health Emergency Preparedness program funds fall to $20.6 million this year from $28.7 million during the 2006 budget year.

In Orange County, Fla., people were diverted from other duties for swine flu needs in a health department increasingly burdened with a range of demands as people lose jobs, said health director Kevin Sherin.

Sherin, president of the advocacy group American Association of Public Health Physicians, questioned longer-term capabilities for lab and field work in his state and elsewhere.

"In the event of a real emergency, these systems have capacity problems," he said.

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, a nonprofit lobbying group, said that after the federal emergency buildup, "We didn't complete the job and we didn't make the system sustainable. Our ability to manage more than one thing, or scale up fast is really worrisome."

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On the Net:

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials: http://www.astho.org/

Health and Human Services Department: http://www.hhs.gov/

National Association of County and City Health Officials: http://www.naccho.org/

Trust for America's Health: http://healthyamericans.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness: http://cdc.gov/

Public Health Preparedness Program: http://emergency.cdc.gov/cotper/cphp/

Hospital Preparedness Program: http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/opeo/hpp/

American Association of Public Health Physicians: http://www.aaphp.org/

American Public Health Association: http://www.apha.org/

Friday, May 22, 2009

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)







A New Influenza Virus
Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in April, 2009. The virus is infecting people and is spreading from person-to-person, sparking a growing outbreak of illness in the United States. An increasing number of cases are being reported internationally as well.

It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.

It’s uncertain at this time how severe this novel H1N1 outbreak will be in terms of illness and death compared with other influenza viruses. Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result. In addition, currently there is no vaccine to protect against this novel H1N1 virus. CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this new virus in the coming days and weeks.

Novel influenza A (H1N1) activity is now being detected through CDC’s routine influenza surveillance systems and reported weekly in FluView. CDC tracks U.S. influenza activity through multiple systems across five categories. The fact that novel H1N1 activity is now detected through seasonal surveillance systems is an indication that there are higher levels of influenza-like illness in the United States than is normal for this time of year. About half of all influenza viruses being detected are novel H1N1 viruses.

Learn more about it : http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

US swine flu deaths hit double-digits




SALT LAKE CITY – Swine flu forced Christina Huitron to make a choice no mother should ever have to make.

On Wednesday she told doctors to take her 21-year-old son off life support, making Marcos Sanchez the nation's 10th fatality associated with the newly discovered virus that continues to spread across the globe.

"I knew he was suffering," Christina Huitron told KSL-TV. "I don't know how he was feeling, but I just knew I had to do it because he was passing away slowly anyways, and I didn't want him to suffer anymore."

Sanchez checked into a suburban hospital Saturday, vomiting blood and burning with fever, Huitron told The Salt Lake Tribune. By Tuesday he was suffering from multiple organ failure.

Dr. David Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, said Marcos, the state's first swine flu fatality, was overweight and had chronic medical conditions, including respiratory problems, that put him at risk.

"This is not a person who was overall genuinely healthy," Sundwall said.

Sanchez had not traveled recently. Dagmar Vitek, medical director for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, said an investigation to determine how he contracted the virus was under way. Utah has 122 confirmed cases of the virus.

In neighboring Arizona, health officials said Wednesday a 13-year-old boy from Tucson also has died with swine flu. The teenager died Friday of complications from the flu. He had been hospitalized May 10.

Pima County Health Department spokeswoman Patti Woodcock said an older sibling of the teen is hospitalized with the virus, while other family members have recovered.

Swine flu has sickened more than 11,000 people in 41 countries and killed 85, according to the World Health Organization, whose figures often trail those of individual countries. Mexico has reported 75 deaths, the U.S. 10, and one in both Canada and Costa Rica.

In New York City, officials, colleagues, friends and family gathered Wednesday at a funeral home to remember Mitchell Wiener, an 55-year-old assistant principal who died of swine flu Sunday.

"Whenever I needed help, I used to always go to him," student Jeffery Grey told reporters outside the funeral home. "I really don't know who to go to now when I need help."

Two more New York City public schools closed because of swine flu, bringing the number of city public and private schools shuttered within the last week to 23. One school closed Thursday across the Hudson River in Fort Lee, N.J., another closed in Reno, Nev., and four schools closed in Lodi, Wis., after students were sickened.

Judy Davis, a spokeswoman for the Washoe County District Health Department in Nevada, said state, county and school officials agreed that closing Mendive Middle School in Sparks was "best course of action" to prevent further spread of the flu after five students were sickened and one was hospitalized.

But experts said closing schools once students were already ill would do little to halt the virus' seemingly inexorable spread.

"As a disease containment measure, it is not likely to be effective," said Dr. Paul Biddinger, associate director of the Center for Public Health Preparedness at the Harvard School of Public Health.

(This version CORRECTS that Patti Woodcock is a spokeswoman for the Pima County (Ariz.) Health Department, not the Arizona Department of Health Services.)

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Swing Flu is Slowing Down in Mexico



Influenza A(H1N1) Swine Flu which is dangerous Virus or Flu and this Swing Flu or Influenza A(H1N1) which is coming from the pig. The Mexico has been affected greatly and for this reason they announced to close the schools,cafe,shops and restaurants. But the good the news is the swine flu influenza outbreak have been dropping, according to health officials.

Mexico’s Secretary of Health told reporters over the weekend that the epidemic in that country had peaked and the number of new cases was on the decline. He also complained that some countries – most notably China – had reacted inappropriately by quarantining some travelers arriving from Mexico, even though they showed no symptoms of influenza. We’ll look at how various countries have acted – even over-reacted in some cases – to protect their borders and their citizens from the possible pandemi

According to BBC:

Restaurants and cafes in Mexico City are to reopen on Wednesday after the country recorded a fall in new cases of the swine flu virus.

Libraries, museums and churches are to follow suit a day later but cinemas, theatres and bars are to remain closed, the mayor’s office said.

Government officials are meeting to discuss when schools and businesses across the country can resume work.

More than 1,000 cases of the virus have been reported in 20 countries.

Confirmed cases in the US have risen from 226 to 286, spread over 36 states, with most patients suffering mild symptoms. One death has been confirmed - that of a Mexican two-year-old boy who was visiting Texas.

Officials say the rise in cases in recent days was due to results of lab tests coming through, rather than because of a new surge in cases.

The UN says it has seen no evidence of a spread at community level in Europe and Asia - a development that would trigger the highest level of alert.

Dr Keiji Fukuda, deputy chief of the World Health Organization (WHO), told reporters it was essential that surveillance remained strong worldwide.

Transmission to people who have not visited Mexico has been confirmed in six countries.

The virus is suspected of claiming 101 lives in Mexico though the number of confirmed cases there is 26, its health minister said on Monday.

After Mexico accused China of unfairly quarantining some of its citizens, the two countries sent planes to pick up each other’s citizens.

In other developments

• Canada’s confirmed number of cases rose to 140

• Of nine new confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK, seven appear to have been acquired from people who had not been to Mexico; total confirmed cases stood at 27

• About 250 recruits and personnel at an army camp in the western Swiss canton of Fribourg were placed under quarantine after two recruits reported having flu symptoms

‘Phase of decline’

Mexico’s shutdown is credited with stemming the spread of the virus but it badly affected the country’s economy.

President Felipe Calderon went on national TV on Sunday night to say a nationwide shutdown and an aggressive information campaign appeared to have helped curtail the outbreak in Mexico.

“We have succeeded in detaining or at least slowing the spread of the virus precisely because the measures have been the correct ones,” he said.

Swine flu has been confirmed as the cause of 26 deaths in Mexico and 701 people have been infected, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Monday.

Earlier, he had said the epidemic was “in its phase of decline”, having peaked between 23 and 28 April.

Talking about the possible reopening of schools, he warned it would “not happen just like that”. “There will have to be training, preparations for teachers and parents,” he told reporters.

Inhabitants of the capital interviewed by Reuters news agency on Sunday spoke of their frustration at the upset caused by the restrictions.

“They should open everything back up so we can work,” said Alberto Vazquez, 28, who washes cars for a living.

“These last days have been hard on us. If we don’t work, we don’t eat.”

‘Deceptive’ virus

Mexico has criticised China for placing in quarantine up to 70 Mexicans even though they showed no sign of having contracted swine flu.

A Mexican-chartered plane has left for Beijing to pick up Mexican citizens from different Chinese cities.

China, which denies discrimination, sent a plane in the opposite direction to pick up 200 Chinese nationals stranded in Mexico City.

A Mexican man staying in a Hong Kong hotel was confirmed to have contracted the virus on Friday. More than 250 guests and staff at the hotel are being held under quarantine for a week.

Canada asked China for an explanation on Monday after it also quarantined a group of at least 20 Canadian students, none of whom had shown any flu symptoms, in the north-eastern town of Changchun.

WHO chief Margaret Chan said there was “no indication” that swine flu, or H1N1, might develop into a pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu which killed tens of millions at the end of World War I.

Addressing a meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York by video link from Geneva, she also cautioned against complacency: “Flu viruses are very unpredictable, very deceptive… We should not be over-confident. One must not give H1N1 the opportunity to mix with other viruses.”

UN chief Ban Ki-moon, in New York, said the WHO did not plan to raise its pandemic alert to the highest level if the outbreak continued in its current pattern.

The severity of the swine flu virus remains uncertain, the BBC’s Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.

Health experts worldwide want to know which population groups are most vulnerable and why the virus has caused severe pneumonia among some patients, and diarrhoea - not normally associated with flu - in others, our correspondent says.

On Tuesday the WHO will hold a meeting of doctors and scientists to discuss these questions. The answers, the WHO says, will help all those working to control and treat the virus.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Dr. Joe Bresee with the CDC Influenza Division describes swine flu

If you are eager to know about swin Flu the Listen this Video where the details describes about Signs & Symptoms


UK had again hit Swin Flu more cases observed

14 further patients under investigation in England have today (Sunday) been confirmed with swine flu bringing the current total number of confirmed UK cases to 101.

There are six adults and eight children among the new confirmed cases in the East of England, London and the South East regions – 11 contacts of previously confirmed cases, 2 returning travellers and one whose source of infection remains under investigation.

155 cases are currently under laboratory investigation in the UK. These cases change on a daily basis. Because of the time-lag between the reporting of symptoms, the testing and the results, the new cases reported daily may have recovered and may now be symptom-free.

Public gatherings
There are no restrictions on public gatherings like music festivals. The Department of Health is advising people to carry on with their daily lives as normal.

For Immediate Help

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure Swin Flu

Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure supplies of up to 90 million doses of pre-pandemic H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine before a pandemic begins, the Department of Health has announced.

The deals signed between Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Baxter, will enable production of pre-pandemic vaccine to begin as soon as possible.

The agreements could provide enough vaccine to protect the most vulnerable in our population before a pandemic is likely to arrive, without affecting our supply of seasonal flu vaccine.

There are over 101 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK. Most cases are linked to either previously confirmed cases or are returning travellers.

The pandemic flu alert level from the World Health Organization (WHO) remains at Phase Five. Other recent developments include:

Monday, May 11, 2009

I have flu-like symptoms - what should I do?

Stay at home and rest.
Take medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve the symptoms (following the instructions with the medicines). Children under 16 must not be given aspirin or ready-made flu remedies containing aspirin.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you have recently travelled to Mexico or the US or you have been in contact with someone who has confirmed or probable swine flu.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you develop complications such as shortness of breath.
Before you call, check your symptoms with this symptom checker.

What can I do to protect myself and my family?

Good hygiene is the key. You can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading influenza by:

Using a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Disposing of used tissues promptly and carefully.
Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to your face, or to other people.
Cleaning hard surfaces (eg kitchen worktops, door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.

What is the current state of alert?

The swine flu alert level from the World Health Organization (WHO) remains at Phase Five, which means there is human-to-human spread of the virus in at least two countries in the same region. Phase Five is a strong signal that "a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the organisation, communication, and implementation of planned mitigation measures is short," says the WHO. This is something that is already well under way in the UK.

As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to Phase Four or raise the level of alert to Phase Six, the highest level. The decision to move to Phase Five was based primarily on data demonstrating sustainable human-to-human transmission of the virus.

The WHO has defined six stages in the development of a pandemic. A virus outbreak is only classified as a pandemic at Phase Six.

Countries with confirmed cases of swine flu

Mexico: 1626 (45 deaths)
US: 2254 (2 deaths)
Canada: 280 (1 death)
Spain: 93
UK: 55
France: 12
Germany: 11
Italy: 9
Costa Rica: 8 (1 death)
Israel: 7
New Zealand: 7
Brazil: 6
Japan: 4
Republic of Korea: 3
Netherlands: 3
Panama: 3
El Salvador: 2
Argentina: 1
Austria: 1
Australia: 1
Sweden: 1
Denmark: 1
Colombia: 1
Switzerland: 1
Hong Kong: 1
Ireland: 1
Portugal: 1
Guatemala: 1
Poland: 1

What You Need to Know

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the current level of the influenza pandemic alert from phase four to five. Part of a six-phased approach, phase five is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region.

“Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread to every country in the world,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan in a statement on April 29.

International Medical Corps continues to monitor the spread of A/H1N1 infection. No cases have been reported in any areas of IMC’s international operations, but field staff members are prepared in the event that the disease spreads.

“International Medical Corps staff from Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia attended a three-day meeting in Addis, Ethiopia last week to discuss coordination for Pandemic Flu and review what resources are available in each country if there is an outbreak,” says Stephen Tomlin, Vice President of Program Policy and Planning at International Medical Corps.

According to WHO, 21 countries have officially reported a total of 1,124 cases of A/H1N1 infection. The United States has reported 286 confirmed human cases, including one death. Mexico has reported 590 confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Austria (1), Canada (140), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (54), Switzerland (1), and the United Kingdom (18).


“While the A/H1N1 virus has spread very rapidly, we are better prepared to handle an influenza outbreak than ever before because of efforts that had been taken for taken H5N1 since 2006,” says Tomlin.

International Medical Corps staff members have pandemic plans and will coordinate our response if there is a confirmed outbreak in an IMC country of operation. IMC’s community-level approach to programming has provided opportunities for prevention activities - including at the household level - that will stem the spread of most flu like illnesses.

As is the case with any viral flu, International Medical Corps health workers recommend the following:

1. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze

2. Wash your hands frequently

3. Don't run down your ability to fight infection

4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

5. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

'International concern' about Swin Flu

In the US, seven people in California, two people in Texas, and two people in Kansas have been infected with the new strain.

In New York, city health commissioner Dr Thomas Frieden said preliminary tests conducted on the ailing students showed they were possible cases of swine flu.

Further tests will clarify if it was the same strain that was detected in the other three states.

Following a meeting of its emergency committee on Saturday, the WHO said the virus had the potential to become a pandemic but it was too early to say whether that would happen.

WHO Director General Margaret Chan said recent events constituted "a public health emergency of international concern" and that countries needed to co-operate in heightening surveillance.

The WHO is advising all countries to be vigilant for seasonally unusual flu or pneumonia-like symptoms among their populations - particularly among young healthy adults, a characteristic of past pandemics.

Officials said most of those killed so far in Mexico were young adults - rather than more vulnerable children and the elderly.

There is currently no vaccine for the new strain but severe cases can be treated with antiviral medication.

It is unclear how effective currently available flu vaccines would be at offering protection against the new strain, as it is genetically distinct from other flu strains.

Mexico flu sparks worldwide fear




Mexican authorities have taken drastic measures to contain a new strain of the swine flu virus that has killed 81 and prompted fears of a global pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the situation remains serious but "the picture is evolving".

Several countries have reported suspected cases of infection - the latest were eight students in New York who were confirmed to have swine flu.

But US cases of infections had not had contact with pigs, the WHO said.

H1N1 is the same strain that causes seasonal flu outbreaks in humans, but the newly detected version contains genetic material from versions of flu which usually affect pigs and birds.

The respiratory virus - which infects pigs but only sporadically humans - is spread mainly through coughs and sneezes.

The WHO has warned the virus has the potential to become a pandemic, and has urged all governments to step up surveillance.

Several countries in Asia and Latin America have begun screening airport passengers for symptoms.

Suspected outbreaks

Although all of the deaths so far have been in Mexico, the flu is spreading in the United States and suspected cases have been detected elsewhere:

Eleven confirmed infections in the US
In addition, eight suspected cases are being investigated at a New York City high school where about 200 students fell mildly ill with flu-like symptoms
Ten New Zealand students are among a group which travelled to Mexico have tested positive for influenza A - making it "likely", though not definite, that they are infected with swine flu, said Health Minister Tony Ryall
In France, a top health official told Le Parisien newspaper there were unconfirmed suspicions that two individuals who had just returned from Mexico may be carrying the virus
Spain's health ministry says three people who returned from a trip from Mexico with flu symptoms are in isolation and being tested
In Israel, medics are testing a 26-year-old man who has been taken to hospital with flu-like symptoms after returning from a trip to Mexico
But a UK hospital conducting tests for swine flu on a British Airways cabin crew member said the tests proved negative.

Mexico shutdown

The Mexican government, which has faced criticism for what some see as a slow reaction to this outbreak, is now taking an increasingly hard line to try to contain the virus, says the BBC's Stephen Gibbs in Mexico City.

Public buildings have been closed and hundreds of public events suspended.


Schools in and around Mexico City have been closed until 6 May, and some 70% of bars and restaurants in the capital have been temporarily closed.

People are being strongly urged to avoid shaking hands, and the US embassy has advised visitors to the country to keep at least six feet (1.8m) from other people.

Mexico's Health Secretary, Jose Cordova, said a total of 1,324 people had been admitted to hospital with suspected symptoms since 13 April and were being tested for the virus.

"In that same period, 81 deaths were recorded probably linked to the virus but only in 20 cases we have the laboratory tests to confirm it," he said.

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon has announced emergency measures to deal with the situation.

They include powers to isolate individuals suspected of having the virus without fear of legal repercussions.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Spain leads Europe in swine flu cases with 40

MEXICO CITY – Swine flu extended its reach through Europe and Latin America, with at least five countries reporting new cases on Sunday. Health experts were investigating a case of the virus jumping from a person to pigs, trying to determine if the disease was reaching a new stage.

Hong Kong kept 350 people under quarantine in a hotel as a precaution even though no new swine flu infections appeared in Asia, and Egypt's attempt to kill all pigs as a precaution against the disease prompted pig owners to clash with police who were helping to seize their animals for slaughter.

So far the swine flu epidemic has killed 19 in people in Mexico and one toddler in the U.S. and has spread to 18 countries worldwide — but experts believe the actual spread is much wider.

Mexico's health secretary said 11 people were suspected to have died from the virus in the previous 24 hours. The alarming news came after the epidemic's toll in Mexico appeared to have been leveling off.

The global caseload was nearing 800 and growing — the vast majority in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Colombia on Sunday reported South America's first confirmed case of swine flu a day after Costa Rica reported the first in Central America.

The Spanish Health Ministry said the country now has 40 confirmed cases of swine flu — making it the European nation hardest hit by the virus. It said most of the victims have already recovered. All but two had recently visited Mexico.

Britain, Italy and Germany also reported new cases.

But just over a week into the outbreak, the virus largely remains an unpredictable mystery.

Hong Kong — which was criticized for delaying quarantine measures during the SARS outbreak — sealed the downtown Metropark Hotel, where a sickened Mexican tourist had stayed, trapping 350 guests and employees inside.

About a half dozen police officers wearing masks guarded the hotel Sunday, even though all those at the hotel were reported to be healthy. One guest said he walked on the stairs for exercise and to alleviate boredom.

"It's highly inconvenient. That's what's affecting people, because it took us by surprise," said 45-year-old Kevin Ireland, who was on a business trip from New Delhi, India.

Scientists warn that the virus could mutate into a deadlier form.

"Influenza is unpredictable," said Dr. Tim Uyeki, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who has worked on SARS and H5N1 bird flu outbreaks. "There are so many unanswered questions. This is a brand new virus. There's so much we don't know about the human infectious with this virus."

Right now, one of the biggest hurdles is a lack of information from Mexico. A team of international and Mexican virus sleuths is trying to piece together an epidemiological picture of who's dying and where transmission began, while also uncovering just how it's attacking people with severe illness. But details are emerging slowly.

Late Saturday, Mexico's confirmed swine flu cases jumped by about 25 to 473, including the 19 deaths. A Mexican toddler also died in Texas days ago, for a worldwide total of 20.

President Barack Obama urged caution.

"This is a new strain of the flu virus, and because we haven't developed an immunity to it, it has more potential to cause us harm," Obama said. Later, he spoke with Mexican President Felipe Calderon to share information.

Pablo Kuri, a Mexican epidemiologist, said three of the dead were children: a 9-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy. Four were older than 60. The other nine were between 21 and 39 — unusual ages for people to die from flu because they tend to have stronger immune systems.

Although most of the dead were from the Mexico City area, they came from different neighborhoods in the metropolis of 20 million, and there were no similarities linking their medical backgrounds.

One theory for the deaths is that perhaps they sought treatment too late — falling sick an average of seven days before seeing a doctor. Many of the sick around the world were people who had visited Mexico, including 13 of Britain's 16 cases.

The World Health Organization earlier announced that a pandemic was imminent, but it has decided against declaring a full pandemic alert. Still, that doesn't mean people can relax, said Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO's global alert and response director.

"These viruses mutate, these viruses change, these viruses can further reassort with other genetic material, with other viruses," he said. "So it would be imprudent at this point to take too much reassurance" from the small number of deaths.

In the Canadian province of Alberta, health and agriculture officials said about 220 pigs on a farm were quarantined after being infected by a worker who had recently returned from Mexico. They stressed that swine viruses are common in pigs, and there was no need for consumers to stop eating pork as long as it's handled properly and cooked thoroughly.

The pigs are all recovering in the first documented case of the H1N1 human flu being passed to another species.

In Egypt, police fired shots in the air and tear gas at pig owners who stoned them in an attempt to prevent government workers from slaughtering their animals as a precaution against swine flu. A security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said 12 people were injured in the Manshiyet Nasr slum.

In Baghdad, Iraqi officials killed three wild boars at Baghdad's zoo because of swine flu fears, even though health experts say the virus is not transmitted by pigs. Iraq has no documented cases of swine flu.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Swine flu cases pass 100, vaccine promised

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. authorities are pledging to eventually produce enough swine flu vaccine for everyone but the shots couldn't begin until fall at the earliest.

Worries about the spread of the virus mounted Thursday as the nation's swine flu caseload passed 100, and nearly 300 schools closed in communities across the country. Federal officials had to spend much of the day reassuring the public it's still safe to fly and ride public transportation after Vice President Joe Biden said he wouldn't recommend it to his family.

Clinics and hospital emergency rooms in New York, California and some other states are seeing a surge in patients with coughs and sneezes that might have been ignored before the outbreak.

Scientists were racing to prepare the key ingredient to make a vaccine against the never-before-seen flu strain - if it's ultimately needed. But it will take several months before the first pilot lots begin required human testing to ensure the vaccine is safe and effective. If all goes well, broader production could start in the fall.

"We think 600 million doses is achievable in a six-month time frame" from that fall start, Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Craig Vanderwagen told lawmakers.

"I don't want anybody to have false expectations. The science is challenging here," Vanderwagen told reporters. "Production can be done, robust production capacity is there. It's a question of can we get the science worked on the specifics of this vaccine."

Until a vaccine is ready, the government has stockpiled anti-viral medications that can ease flu symptoms or help prevent infection. The medicines are proving effective.

Reassurances from top health officials didn't stop the questions from coming.

An estimated 12,000 people logged onto a Webcast where the government's top emergency officials sought to cut confusion by answering questions straight from the public: Can a factory worker handling parts from Mexico catch the virus? No. Can pets get it? No.

And is washing hands or using those alcohol-based hand gels best? Washing well enough is the real issue, answered Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He keeps hand gel in his pocket for between-washings but also suggested that people sing "Happy Birthday" as they wash their hands to make sure they've washed long enough to get rid of germs.

Although it is safe to fly, anyone with flu-like symptoms shouldn't be traveling anywhere, unless they need to seek medical care.

The swine flu outbreak penetrated over a dozen states and even touched the White House, which disclosed that an aide to Energy Secretary Steven Chu apparently got sick helping arrange President Barack Obama's recent trip to Mexico but that the aide did not fly on Air Force One and never posed a risk to the president.

So far U.S. cases are mostly fairly mild with one death, a Mexican toddler who visited Texas with his family - unlike in Mexico where more than 160 suspected deaths have been reported. Most of the U.S. cases so far haven't needed a doctor's care, officials said.

Still, the U.S. is taking extraordinary precautions - including shipping millions of doses of anti-flu drugs to states in case they're needed. The World Health Organization is warning of an imminent pandemic because scientists cannot predict what a brand-new virus might do. A key concern is whether this spring outbreak will resurge in the fall.

The CDC confirmed 109 cases Thursday, and state officials confirm 22 more. Cases now are confirmed in New York, Texas, California, South Carolina, Kansas, Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Maine, Colorado, Georgia and Minnesota.

Pandemic 'could kill 750,000 in UK'

Up to 1.2 million people could end up in hospital and 750,000 killed if a flu pandemic sweeps the nation, according to draft Government guidance about an outbreak. Skip related content

As hospitals are "rapidly" overwhelmed by patients, doctors may have to begin operating a lottery system for intensive care, the blueprint from last year adds.

It also warns that a worst-case pandemic scenario of "catastrophic severity" could result in the "complete or partial collapse of some or all hospital infrastructures".

Top medics have downplayed the predictions, saying factors like Britain's high state of readiness and high immunity levels will lessen the impact.

The bleak forecasts come in "Pandemic influenza: Surge capacity and prioritisation in health services", which was prepared by the Department of Health (DH) last September.

It says up to half the UK population - or 30 million people - could get influenza if the bug outbreak turns into a pandemic.

In the worst case, there would be 2,000 hospital admissions per 100,000 people - or 1.2 million people. There would also be 1,250 fatalities per 100,000 - or 750,000 people.

The report says: "Over the entire period of a pandemic, up to 50% of the population may show clinical symptoms of influenza.

"This could result in the total healthcare contacts for influenza-like illness increasing from around one million during a 'normal' season up to 30 million."

There are also grim implications for the demand of the nation's estimated 3,450 adult intensive care beds and 320 children's.