This thread is for US-specific news about the swine flu outbreak.

Also see this previous thread for combined US/Mexico news stories...

http://www.curevents.com/vb/showthread.php?t=100575 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

These NY cases are as yet suspect but not confirmed.

New U.S. swine flu cases spread pandemic fears
2 cases found in Kansas and 8 more likely in NYC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30398682/

... snip


New York health officials said more than 100 students at the private St. Francis Preparatory School, in Queens, had come down with a fever, sore throat and other aches and pains in the past few days. Some of their relatives also have been ill.

New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said nose and throat swabs had confirmed that eight students had a non-human strain of influenza type A, indicating probable cases of swine flu, but the exact subtypes were still unknown.

Samples had been sent to the CDC for more testing. Results were expected Sunday.

Parent Elaine Caporaso’s 18-year-old son Eddie, a senior at the school, had a fever and cough and went to a hospital where a screening center had been set up.

“I don’t know if there is an incubation period, if I am contaminated,” Caporaso told the Daily News. “I don’t want my family to get sick, and I don’t want to get anybody else sick.”

The symptoms in the New York cases have all been mild, Frieden said, but the illnesses have caused concern because of the deadly outbreak in Mexico.

Frieden said that if the CDC confirms that the students have swine flu, he will likely recommend that St. Francis Preparatory remain closed on Monday “out of an abundance of caution.”

“You could say, 'All you’ve got is a lot of kids with mild illness. Why close a school?”’ Frieden said.

One factor, he said, is that the illness appears to be moving efficiently from person to person, affecting as many as 100 to 200 people in a student body of 2,700.

“We’re very concerned about what may happen,” he said, although he noted that the pattern of illness appeared different from in Mexico, where much larger groups of people have become much sicker. Overall, flu cases have been declining in the city in recent weeks, he said.

“If we were to see, as they have in Mexico City, a large number of people becoming seriously ill with flu, that would be a very different situation from what we have now,” he said.

The city health department has asked doctors to be extra vigilant in the coming days and test any patients who have flu-like symptoms and have traveled recently to California, Texas or Mexico.

Investigators also were testing children who fell ill at a day care center in the Bronx, Frieden said. And two families in Manhattan had contacted the city, saying they had recently returned ill from Mexico with flu-like symptoms.

Frieden said New Yorkers having trouble breathing due to an undiagnosed respiratory illness should seek treatment but shouldn’t become overly alarmed. Medical facilities in the part of Queens near St. Francis Prep, he said, had already been flooded with people overreacting to the outbreak. 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

More form the story above re. Kansas cases...

Kansas health officials said Saturday they had confirmed swine flu in a married couple living in the central part of the state after the husband visited Mexico. The couple, who live in Dickinson County, were not hospitalized, and the state described their illnesses as mild.

Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, the state health officer, said, “Fortunately, the man and woman understand the gravity of the situation and are very willing to isolate themselves.”

The man traveled to Mexico last week for a professional conference and became ill after he returned home. His wife became ill later. Their doctor suspected swine flu, but it wasn’t confirmed until flu specimens were flown to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

From the same article, again as yet unconfirmed...

NBC News has also learned there are suspected cases in Minnesota. 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

From the same article, re. Texas...

Texas school closing

The Texas health department announced Saturday that Byron Steele High School in Cibolo, near San Antonio, will temporarily close as local health and school officials work to keep the virus from spreading.

Swine flu was confirmed earlier this month in two students from the school, and a third student is listed as a probable case with confirmatory lab test results pending. The original two have recovered, and the third is recovering.

"The purpose is to reduce the risk to students, staff and the community," said Sandra Guerra, M.D., the public health authority for Guadalupe County, Texas. 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

Meanwhile, in other states across the country, the list of people testing positive for the virus is growing.

Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York all have confirmed or suspected cases, along with Texas and California.

http://www.wtov9.com/news/19291125/detail.html

this is the first I heard of Massachuetts having suspected cases 

There has been a lot of news the past couple days. It was also mentioned here, but nothing more than just mentioning it:

http://www.curevents.com/vb/showpos...5&postcount=143 

__________________ 
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Roscoe and Miss Priss 

Swine flu confirmed in NYC high school students
By KAREN MATTHEWS – 24 minutes ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap...jLVHrAD97Q85O00


NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that students at a city high school were infected with swine flu.

New York officials previously had said they were eight "probable" cases, but tests later confirmed that it was indeed swine flu. Bloomberg stressed that the cases were mild and many are recovering.

The city is awaiting the tests of additional samples to see if more St. Francis Preparatory School students were infected.

About 100 students complained of flu-like symptoms at the school. Some students went to Cancun on a spring break trip two weeks ago.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NEW YORK (AP) — Students at a New York City high school could learn as early as Sunday if the flu that sickened them was the same strain of the human swine influenza that has killed people in Mexico.

Preliminary tests of samples taken from sick students' noses and throats confirmed that at least eight had a non-human strain of influenza type A, indicating probable cases of swine flu, city health officials said. The exact subtypes were still unknown, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was conducting further tests.

So far, there have been at least 11 confirmed cases of swine flu in California, Texas and Kansas. Patients have ranged in age from 9 to over 50. At least two were hospitalized. All recovered or are recovering.

New York health officials said more than 100 students at the St. Francis Preparatory School, in Queens, recently began suffering a fever, sore throat and aches and pains. Some of their relatives also have been ill.

Some St. Francis students had recently traveled to Mexico, The New York Times and New York Post reported Sunday.

Workers were sanitizing the school as a precaution. But a class reunion featuring cocktails, dinner and dancing for hundreds of alumni from as far back as 1939 went on as scheduled Saturday.

Symptoms in the New York cases have been mild, said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. But the illnesses have caused concern because of the outbreak in Mexico, where health officials say a strain of swine flu has killed up to 81 people and sickened more than 1,000.

Parent Jackie Casola said Sunday that her son Robert Arifo, a St. Francis sophomore, told her on Thursday that a number of children had been sent home because of illness. On Friday, he said hardly anyone was in school.

Casola said she expected to keep him home from school on Monday, even if it was open. He hasn't shown any symptoms, but some of his friends have, she said, and she has been extra vigilant about his health.

"I must have drove him crazy, I kept taking his temperature in the middle of the night," she said.

The World Health Organization chief said Saturday that the strain has "pandemic potential," and it might be too late to contain a sudden outbreak.

If the CDC confirms that the New York students have swine flu, Frieden said he likely will recommend that the school remain closed Monday "out of an abundance of caution."

State infectious-diseases, epidemiology and disaster preparedness workers have been dispatched to monitor and respond to possible cases of the flu. Gov. David Paterson said 1,500 treatment courses of the antiviral Tamiflu had been sent to New York City.

The city health department has asked doctors to be extra vigilant and test patients who have flu symptoms and have traveled recently to California, Texas or Mexico.

Investigators also were testing children who fell ill at a day care center in the Bronx. Two families in Manhattan also have contacted the city, saying they had recently returned ill from Mexico with flu symptoms, Frieden said.

Frieden said New Yorkers having trouble breathing due to an undiagnosed respiratory illness should seek treatment but shouldn't become overly alarmed. Medical facilities near St. Francis Prep have already been flooded with people overreacting to the outbreak, he said.

... snip 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

Is this a joke/ mistake or for real?

Americans told to wear masks as swine flu spreads round globe
From Times Online
April 26, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/ne...icle6173927.ece


Doctors in America are advising worried patients to buy painters’ masks as a precaution against the global outbreak of swine flu that appears to have spread from Mexico to the United States, New Zealand and possibly Europe.

********************

I guess this advice wouldn't be a stupid as it first sounded since, per our discussion on another thread, it might remind people not to touch their mouths with their hands when in public... 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasu..._conta.php#more

Swine flu: update; and the containment mirage
Category: Epidemiology • Infectious disease • Influenza treatment • Pandemic preparedness • Public health preparedness • Surveillance • Swine flu • WHO
Posted on: April 26, 2009 4:52 AM, by revere

A concise summary of some additional developments, courtesy Bloomberg:

Three teachers and 22 students from Auckland’s Rangitoto high school are being tested for swine flu after returning to New Zealand’s most populous city from Los Angeles following a three week trip to Mexico, Stuff.co.nz reported on its Web site. Some of the travelers had symptoms of flu-like illness and were being isolated as a precaution pending test results, it said, citing the Auckland’s public health service.
In the U.K., a British Airways Plc crewmember with flu-like symptoms was taken to Northwick Park Hospital, in north London, for tests after arriving yesterday on a flight from Mexico City, British Broadcasting Corp. reported on its Web site. [NB: Bloomberg now reporting the crew member does not have swine flu.] (John Lauerman, Jason Gale, Bloomberg)


Add to this two additional cases in California, bringing the US total of lab confirmed cases to 11.

Now for the zombie idea (promoted to some extent by WHO) that we could ever bottle up an incipient flu pandemic by containing it at the source. As we have pointed out here too many times to count, that never was in the cards for a disease that hides itself in the background noise of prevalent respiratory disease, is difficult to diagnose, and for which there is little good surveillance in most countries. But because it was held out as a possibility, there is a faint whiff of recrimination in current news accounts. First, the premise as seen in a piece from Bloomberg:

The virus has already evaded the first line of defense that health officials had hoped to use against a pandemic. International flu experts preparing for a pandemic had planned to contain the initial outbreak of a new, lethal strain of flu. The swine flu virus has already spread so far in Mexico and the U.S. that the containment strategy is out of the question, said Anne Schuchat, interim deputy director for science and public health programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Atlanta-based U.S. agency.
“We don’t think we can contain the spread of this virus,” she said yesterday in a conference call with reporters. (John Lauerman, Jason Gale, Bloomberg)


Now, the consequence, as seen in today's Washington Post under the headline, "U.S. Slow to Learn of Mexico Flu":

In the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the more recent emergence of H5N1 bird flu in Asia, national and local health authorities have done extensive planning for disease outbreaks that could lead to global epidemics, or pandemics. Open and frequent communication between countries and agencies has been a hallmark of that work.
Whether delayed communication among the countries has had a practical consequence is unknown. However, it seems that U.S. public health officials are still largely in the dark about what's happening in Mexico two weeks after the outbreak was recognized.

Asked at a news conference yesterday whether the number of swine flu cases found daily in Mexico is increasing -- a key determinant in understanding whether an epidemic is spreading -- Anne Schuchat, an interim deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "I do not know the answer to those questions."

[snip]

In recent years, Mexico has done extensive pandemic planning with Canada and developed a close relationship with the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. Tests on virus samples from the Mexican patients suggested the strain was different from this year's flu. So on Monday, Mexican officials sent lung and throat swabs to Canada to be characterized.

The CDC, in Atlanta, is one of WHO's four "reference laboratories" for flu. It routinely gets samples from Mexico and many other countries, and processes them with great urgency, Nancy J. Cox, the head of the flu lab, said last night. It, too, eventually received the Mexican samples.

"The only reason the samples went first to Winnipeg is because the paperwork is easier. We were in a rush," Hernández said.(David Brown, WaPo)


Canada got the clinical specimens on Wednesday and within 6 hours told the Mexican authorities it was the same swine flu virus that CDC had isolated in California. The next day (Thursday), Mexico alerted CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that they were having an outbreak with the same virus as in the US. The Mexicans then sent specimens to CDC in Atlanta.

The idea that flu could be contained at the source was always a WHO pipe dream. Their flu people knew it couldn't be done but WHO suggested it might just be possible anyway. Now they see the bitter fruit of this. There is another relevant fact that should be mentioned here. CDC is an agency on organizational hold, with an Acting Director. As public health professionals they are doing a heroic job, but they depend on DHHS, of which they are a part, for building government-to-government relationships. Those relationships suffered badly during the Bush years, with the result that Mexico had a better and more comfortable connection with Canada than the US. So why hasn't the Obama administration righted the problem? Because, among other things, there is still no Secretary of DHHS. Obama's nominee, the highly capable administrator Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, has had her confirmation held up by Republican ideologues playing abortion politics.

If ever there was a time when we needed strong leadership at DHHS, this is it. Playing politics has consequences. 

__________________ 
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Roscoe and Miss Priss 

I guess if this had been bioterrorism the added US paperwork would now be viewed as a life saver.  

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

Update from CDC - 12:30pm

20 total confirmed cases in U.S.: 8 - NYC, 1 -OH, 2- KS, 2-TX, 7-CA

Only 1 has been hospitalized

Virus is identical to virus in Mexico & expect to see more severe cases as this outbreak continues

View this as a marathon - recommendations may change over time

"People should think about what they should do if this virus ramps up in their community - ie: if it's my child's school, what should I do?" 

A case has popped up in Ohio on the CDC site.

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investi...s_cid=tw_epr_65

Lint 

Any clue where in Ohio?


 

Did they discuss any of the public health guidance that would be likely to be given by communities in the future, such as the potential future localized mandatory school closures?


MomCares 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

This is all the further info I can find on the Ohio case. No mention whatsoever of where he might have been exposed.

Lint 

Nothing more specific at the news conference, but I believe they said they'd be releasing more specific public health guidelines later today.

I really think they're going slowly in ramping this up because the illness has been so mild in the U.S. and they still don't understand why it's been so different in Mexico. They did mention, though, the idea that this outbreak might die out, only for the virus to come back again later in the year and that by preparing now, they'd be even better prepared for a second, perhaps more serious, outbreak. 

Thanks!

I agree that given the mild nature of the illness to-date, coupled with the reality that it had clearly been spreading undetected for too long for successful containment, the main thing now is use this teaching moment to educate the public a bit more and continue preparation in case a more severe strain emerges later.


MomCares 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

I caught that too. I think they know how serious this may get. 

I had what I believe was the flu last week. All the nasty symptoms. Didn't go to the doctor BUT did go Thursday as the symptoms came back. Got a Z pack for a bacterial infection. I am 51. I live in a county adjoining Guadalupe County, Texas, where the confirmed cases are. The local school had its prom last night. We received a call from the school district saying all attendees and dates had to bring their high school ID and/or drivers' license. Any date enrolled at Steele High (the one where the confirmed cases are from) would not be admitted. The PSA also said to stay away from public gatherings. (And a prom isn't a public gathering?) Our school district was not going to close schools at this time. Also, San Antonio is having Fiesta, one of it's major events, with stuff scheduled all over the city. Thousands flocking there right now. And for those in NYC, Joel Osteen is having a huge get-together at one of the new baseball stadiums hoping to draw about 40,000. 

My chest is really tight, it feels like a 20-pound baby is sitting on my chest," said one student. "I have shortness of breath, I can't even walk up the steps, and as you can hear I'm stuffy and my coughing is getting really bad."


http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stor...ms/Default.aspx 

__________________ 
"life's not about how hard you hit it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward" 

State health officials said Sunday that a 9-year-old boy who recently vacationed in Mexico has a confirmed case of swine flu.
The boy is recovering at his home in Elyria. The child's name was not released.
More
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/...ls_confirm.html 

__________________ 
 

Not sure if this has been reported but European News are reporting that an archeologist who received Mr Obama in Mexico and who spent some time showing The President around has since died from the swine flu

The president’s health advisors were already concerned about his flying visit south of the border after learning that the contagious virus first struck in Mexico City on April 13 - three days before Mr Obama flew in to meet top government officials.

But their alarm grew after learning that Felipe Solis, a distinguished archaeologist who received Mr Obama at Mexico City’s anthropology museum, had died.

His death the day after shaking hands with the president was from pneumonia, with symptoms worryingly similar to swine flu.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...ours-later.html 

__________________ 
The Big Bird is watching you.. 

Canada has confirmed four students with Swine flu. First saw this on CNN's Headline News. I know they're not technically in the US, but they're close enough. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap...s-3ZhgD97Q9LPG0

Oops, just saw Canada thread, my bad, move if need to please. 

Yes, it's been reported here and even addressed at today's news conference.
Mr Solis did not have Swine Flu, and the president was not infected. 

__________________ 
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Roscoe and Miss Priss 

May Obama gave it to him  

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_swine...GVjbGFyZXNwdQ--

US declares public health emergency for swine flu

9 mins ago
WASHINGTON – The U.S. declared a public health emergency Sunday to deal with the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for approaching hurricanes.

Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been mild — and U.S. health authorities can't yet explain why.

"As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease," predicted Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We're going to see more severe disease in this country."

At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.

Top among those is declaring the public health emergency. As part of that, Napolitano said roughly 12 million doses of the drug Tamiflu will be moved from a federal stockpile to places where states can quickly get their share if they decide they need it. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas.

Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure — one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a "declaration of emergency preparedness."

"Really that's what we're doing right now. We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be."

___

On the Net:

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov 

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Roscoe and Miss Priss 

This info is a bit redundant, but I'll post the CDC Case Reports in case they're interesting to anyone...


Case Reports
April 24, 2009
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmw...mm58d0424a1.htm

San Diego County, California. On April 9, an adolescent girl aged 16 years and her father aged 54 years went to a San Diego County clinic with acute respiratory illness. The youth had onset of illness on April 5. Her symptoms included fever, cough, headache, and rhinorrhea. The father had onset of illness on April 6 with symptoms that included fever, cough, and rhinorrhea. Both had self-limited illnesses and have recovered. The father had received seasonal influenza vaccine in October 2008; the daughter was unvaccinated. Respiratory specimens were obtained from both, tested in the San Diego County Health Department Laboratory, and found to be positive for influenza A using reverse transcription--polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), but could not be further subtyped. Two household contacts of the patients have reported recent mild acute respiratory illnesses; specimens have been collected from these household members for testing. One additional case, in a child residing in San Diego County, was identified on April 24; epidemiologic details regarding this case are pending.

Imperial County, California. A woman aged 41 years with an autoimmune illness who resided in Imperial County developed fever, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, and myalgias on April 12. She was hospitalized on April 15. She recovered and was discharged on April 22. A respiratory specimen obtained April 16 was found to be influenza A positive by RT-PCR at the San Diego Country Health Department Laboratory, but could not be further subtyped. The woman had not been vaccinated against seasonal influenza viruses during the 2008--09 season. Three household contacts of the woman reported no recent respiratory illness.

Guadalupe County, Texas. Two adolescent boys aged 16 years who resided in Guadalupe County near San Antonio were tested for influenza and found to be positive for influenza A on April 15. The youths had become ill with acute respiratory symptoms on April 10 and April 14, respectively, and both had gone to an outpatient clinic for evaluation on April 15. Identification and tracking of the youths' contacts is under way.

Five of the new cases were identified through diagnostic specimens collected by the health-care facility in which the patients were examined, based on clinical suspicion of influenza; information regarding the sixth case is pending. The positive specimens were sent to public health laboratories for further evaluation as part of routine influenza surveillance in the three counties.

... snip

The spectrum of illness in the current cases is not yet fully defined. In the eight cases identified to date, six patients had self-limited illnesses and were treated as outpatients. One patient was hospitalized. Previous reports of swine influenza, although in strains different from the one identified in the current cases, mostly included mild upper respiratory illness; but severe lower respiratory illness and death also have been reported (2,3).

The extent of spread of the strain of swine influenza virus in this investigation is not known. Ongoing investigations by California and Texas authorities of the two previously reported patients, a boy aged 10 years and a girl aged 9 years, include identification of persons in close contact with the children during the period when they were likely infectious (defined as from 1 day before symptom onset to 7 days after symptom onset). These contacts have included household members, extended family members, clinic staff members who cared for the children, and persons in close contact with the boy during his travel to Texas on April 3. Respiratory specimens are being collected from contacts found to have ongoing illness. In addition, enhanced surveillance for possible cases is under way in clinics and hospitals in the areas where the patients reside. Similar investigations and enhanced surveillance are now under way in the additional six cases. 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

From AP (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/med_swine_flu):

"City Health Secretary Armando Ahued said most of the fatalities involve victims who only sought medical help after the disease was well advanced and urged people to seek urgent care."

This statement, and the quote from RussellFamily, above, begin to reveal a possible reason as to why fatalities have been avoided outside of Mexico -- early intervention. If the US cases had been allowed to progress without quick intervention, we too might be seeing some of what Mexico is seeing. And, if this were 1918, where current medicines and therapies were not available, we would definitely be mired in the first wave of a deadly Pandemic.

For the short-term, if Mexico can start treating people in a timely fashion, hereafter, we should see a near-immediate drop in the number of fatalities there, and a pattern of morbidity matching the non-Mexican cases.

For the long-term, however, we still have to deal with:
> The fact that humans have no immunity to this strain.
> It's potential for mutation into something worse.
> The high likelihood that we have only a short period of time (6 months?) before this strain is resistant to the currently effective drugs.

If, as some have observed, our govt is indeed more concerned about the long-term than the short-term, I'm impressed. (And I agree with this observation, myself.) Wave 2 is not likely to be a cake-walk. 

I'm not clear this is true. Most of the US/Canadian cases were described as mild and self limiting (though folks did seek medical care or they wouldn't have been found).

In Nova Scotia they've suggested that students in the impacted school may have had it without even knowing it.

I haven't yet heard of any North American cases who were treated with antivirals early in the illness.

I wouldn't doubt that underlying health issues contributed to the deaths in Mexico.

Much still to be learned.


MomCares 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

I don't know that it's true either; as you say, much is still unknown. It's just a possibility, formulated from a *very* rough pattern. 

Descriptions of symptoms from a couple of kids at the NY prep school - the 2nd one isn't what I'd call "mild":

"My chest just hurts and I have a shortness of breath," one senior said. "I have a few headaches. My ears were hurting me earlier but they're OK now. My headaches go in and out."
http://www.digtriad.com/news/nation...23092&catid=175

"My chest is really tight, it feels like a 20-pound baby is sitting on my chest," said one student. "I have shortness of breath, I can't even walk up the steps, and as you can hear I'm stuffy and my coughing is getting really bad."
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stor...ms/Default.aspx 

I can totally relate to this description. I came down with my nastiest-ever respiratory crud a couple weeks ago... just had chest X-rays and was just prescribed an antibiotic, which doesn't seem to be helping.

True... this swine flu doesn't sound fun (heck, for all I know maybe I could even say it hasn't FELT fun)... and maybe I've been reading about critically-ill H5N1 victims on respirators for too long to have proper perspective.

In any case, it's encouraging that even the early undetected cases in the US and Canada haven't (so far) required much hospital intervention.

Hope it stays that way.


MomCares 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

US to begin asking about flu at the border
3 hours ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap..._9dh2wD97Q9ME00


WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials will begin asking travelers about illness if they're entering the country from areas with confirmed swine flu.

Passengers won't be barred from getting into the United States. But they could be referred for further testing.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano characterized the step as more "passive surveillance," saying airline workers certainly could tell people they shouldn't fly if ill.

She spoke at a White House news conference Sunday. 

__________________ 

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." - Marilyn Monroe

Don't anthropomorphize viruses. They hate that.

 

Barack Obama tested for swine flu


http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/barack...ine-flu-2676398
US President Barack Obama has been tested for swine flu after he just returned from a trip to Mexico where he was discussing the escalation of the country's violent drug related problems.

The president is assuring Americans the country is taking aggressive measures to control the virus.

New cases of swine flu have surfaced in the United States and Canada, taking the total to 26.

There are now more than 1300 suspected cases in Mexico.

People who are infected can spread the virus before they even start showing symptoms.

The symptoms of the H1N1 virus are similar to numerous other flu viruses - fever, headache, muscle aches, dry cough and extreme tiredness - and in this case also vomiting and diarrhoea

While most cases in the United States and Canada have been mild, it has killed up to 81 people in Mexico, including some fit young adults.

H1N1 has been around since the 1918 flu pandemic, in various forms but no one knows if this strain is different enough to cause widespread and severe disease. 

IMHO, I feel this first wave will be mild unlike the 1918 strain of H5N1, with air travel the way it is and people having either mild strains of the virus or being down and out dirty with the bad effects, there will be a commingling of bird/swine/human genetic exchange to bring about a vast more virulent strain...like I said...this is tip of the iceberg I don't feel the Titanic has his one just yet, wait a few months...people like to let their guard down when it should be up. 

__________________ 
What is life but being conscious? And good and evil are manifestations of consciousness. If you reject one, you're not getting the whole thing that's there to be had.
Jerry Garcia, A Long Strange Trip 

on our news over here in the has been saying that they expect there to be deaths from this virus. 

__________________ 
"life's not about how hard you hit it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward" 

Yes there will be, those with preexisting conditions will be at most risk, but it also happens with the yrly flu where nearly 30 k die....chin up! If I could just pass some words of wisdom and peace to those in fear..you can't change it, you can only prepare for whatever comess down upon the pike, be proactive.....and be peaceful you have done all you can...the rest is in God's court... 

__________________ 
What is life but being conscious? And good and evil are manifestations of consciousness. If you reject one, you're not getting the whole thing that's there to be had.
Jerry Garcia, A Long Strange Trip 

http://www.scuc.txed.net/
A school district in Texas closing due to swine flu? 

Now, Sacramento, CA...

http://www.kcra.com/news/19296307/detail.html

School Closed In Possible Swine Flu Case
7th Grader's Illness May Be Linked To Virus

POSTED: 3:09 pm PDT April 26, 2009
UPDATED: 3:59 pm PDT April 26, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A Fair Oaks school is closed while public health officials determine whether a there is a link between a sick student and the swine flu, officials said Sunday.

St. Mel's Catholic School will be closed until at least Thursday while Sacramento County Public Health officials look to see if a seventh grader at the school has a flu linked to the widening swine flu outbreak.

Parents of students at the school were told in an e-mail Sunday that the school will be closed for at least three days, while the health department calls families to inquire if any student is showing flu-like symptoms, according to an e-mail sent by principal Janet Nagel.

"The Sacramento County Health Department has notified us that one of our students may have this virus. The Health Department is currently testing to confirm the nature of this virus," the e-mail states. "We are recommended to use abundance of caution and they have requested that we close the school at least until Thursday to stop the spread. You may receive a telephone call from a Health Department employee today, asking if anyone in your household has an influenza-like illness … The Health Department has also recommended that the school remain closed until there is no incidence of new cases of respiratory illness for a week."

Sacramento County Health Director, Dr. Glennah Trochet, said at a news conference Sunday that there is no confirmed case of the swine flu in Sacramento County.

There are indications, however, of a mild case of flu reported at the school. A test conducted on the student does not match up to any flu case they have seen before locally, so they said they are sending the results to CDC in Atlanta for further investigation.

There are 275 students in grades K-8. The school is closed until Thursday while county health investigates.

Any student at St. Mel's exhibiting flu symptoms are asked to stay out of school for seven days.

U.S. health officials said they are "very pessimistic" that the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the unique swine flu infecting people in the United States, Mexico and other countries.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official said Sunday afternoon that tests of the seasonal vaccine and the new virus show no cross-reaction, suggesting that people who got the vaccine have no added protection against the new bug.

It's possible that people who have been exposed to flu viruses every year -- especially older people, with a greater exposure history -- may have some natural immunity, the CDC official said in a call with reporters.

Copyright 2009 by KCRA.com and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Franc (penguinzee) 

__________________ 
Watch what they do, not what they say...
"Get Busy Living, Or Get Busy Dying" Andy Dufresne, The ShawShank Redemption
-If we were truly intelligent, there would be no politics- Franc (penguinzee)