I think that the increasing flu epidemic is extremel worrying.
Governments around the world rushed on Sunday to check the spread of a new type of swine flu that has killed up to 81 people in Mexico and infected around a dozen in the United States.
A man has his temperature checked by medical personnel before entering a bar in Mexico City April 25, 2009. Governments around the world rushed on Sunday to check the spread of a new type of swine flu that has killed up to 81 people in Mexico and infected around a dozen in the United States.
Mexicans huddled inside their homes while U.S. hospitals tracked patients with flu symptoms and other countries imposed health checks at airports as the World Health Organization warned the virus had the potential to become a pandemic.
Mexico's tourism and retail sectors could be badly hit by the crisis and a new pandemic would deal a major blow to a world economy already knocked into its worst recession in decades by the crisis in financial markets.
The new flu strain, a mixture of various swine, bird and human viruses, poses the biggest risk of a large-scale pandemic since avian flu surfaced in 1997, killing several hundred people. A 1968 "Hong Kong" flu pandemic killed about 1 million people globally.
Argentina declared a health alert, requiring anyone arriving on flights from Mexico to advise if they had flu-like symptoms. As far away as Hong Kong and Japan health officials stepped up checks of sickly travelers.
New flu strains can spread quickly because no one has natural immunity and a vaccine takes months to develop. A British Airways cabin crew member was hospitalized in London after developing flu-like symptoms on a flight from Mexico.
The government earmarked $450,000 to cover fighting the flu, and Calderon issued the government special powers to run tests on sick people and order them isolated.
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2 comments:
Some views from an old hand who thinks he knows everything about everything.
Firstly, Swine flu is not as lethal as SARS but the the kill rate, which for some reasons vary between that in Mexico (at about 10% - which is very high for flu - though not as high as the ebola (kill rate for the Zaire variant is as high as 95%, though it averages 83%) and the US (so far no deaths..why; I am sure it has nothing to do with cold weather (politicians cannot be blame for the weather) like what they want you to know). Possibility could be because the level of atmospheric pollution in Mexico and hence a compromised pulmonary function is more common among Mexican. No comfort there as the level of atmospheric pollution in KL is not that good also (and politicians cannot blame on the pollutions as they can be blamed for it).
Secondly, some of the authorities try to pass it off as though it was like the common flu; well, they are right except in 2 very important aspect -
1. This variant has combined the genetic components of 3 viruses:- that of the swine flu (2 parts), bird flu (1 part) and human H1N1 (1part). It is transmissible from human to human and manifest with all the common flu symptoms. The kill rate is high and it kills mainly the younger adults (25 to 45) and this is reminiscent of the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 (which killed between 18 to 30 million - depending on which articles you read). Also because the potential now exist of the deadly H5N1 bird flu crossing over the species.
2. The response from the authorities does not indicate that it is a common flu problem. In fact WHO mobilised its personnel as early as Wednesday last week. Total number of doses of Tamiflu and Relenza release has already reached 80 million (with China & India, the two most risky countries not stating what steps yet they are taking - if the Mexican kill rate is anything to go by we may be looking at mortal casualties in excess of 100,000 if it hits India & China.)
Anyway the fear factor will be more exaggerated than it really is and like the case of SARS will begin to hit the market a few days after it started. Again like SARS, tourism (Resorts & Genting) and the Airlines shares will be hit.
On the personal side, there is nothing much you can do. Common Flu vaccines like "Vaxigrip" which contain the vaccine for the human H1N1 flu virus, does not prevent the disease but may offer some help as it primes your immune system (about 2 weeks after the vaccination). Tamiflu and Relenza works only if it is given early (usually within 48 to 72 hours but that is also the time where you probably think not much of the condition as you will only be having a heavy head and some stuffiness and where you might be taking Panadol (which also mask the symptoms)). Stay away from crowded places, public places and wash your hands frequently (like at least 10 times a day - preferably with soap. Sleep (7 hrs +) helps a great deal as it is during that period that the immune system is primed - so those of you who has not been having enough - please go home by 7 o'clock and get to bed before 11.00pm - don't say I did not warn you - and for the ladies - just know that it is now a proven statistical fact that women who work late nights has a much-much higher risk for breast cancer.
If you catch the disease, the swine flu, I mean, just the usual...plenty of rest; for the sake of the others, stay at home and away from children (at least 4 feet), drink honey - according to some ..honey is suppose to cure everything and wash your hands (at least 10 times a day - but in any case before you touch things that other might have to touch...but at least 10 times even if you do not think of anything to touch.). Above all don't panic...you probably will survive....and if you are in doubt, you can always call a doctor. And BTW, antibiotics does NOT work but if you have a bad sore throat you will probably need them as the weakened lining in you throat may have been infected by a streptococcus or some more exotic ones like pseudomonas (becoming more common nowadays - you may need something stronger than ampicillin); so do not always discount the use of antibiotics in a viral infections as secondaries may require it.
Can still eat bah-kut-teh or not ?
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