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Thread: Swine Flu Outbreak

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    Administrator Platinum Hubber NOV's Avatar
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    Swine Flu Outbreak

    The 2009 swine flu outbreak is an epidemic that began in April 2009 with a new strain of influenza virus. The new strain is commonly called swine flu, but some authorities object to the name and it is also called Mexican flu, swine-origin influenza, North American influenza, and 2009 H1N1 flu.

    The outbreak is believed to have started in March 2009 and was classified as meeting the criteria for the World Health Organization pandemic Phase 5 status on 29 April. Local outbreaks of an influenza-like illness were first detected in three areas of Mexico, but the virus responsible was not clinically identified as a new strain until April 24, 2009. Following the identification, its presence was soon confirmed in various Mexican states and in Mexico City. Within days, isolated cases (and suspected cases) were identified elsewhere in Mexico, the U.S., and several other Northern Hemisphere countries.

    By April 28, the new strain was confirmed to have spread to Spain, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Israel, and the virus was suspected in many other nations, with a total of over 3,000 candidate cases, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to change its pandemic alert phase to "Phase 5", which denotes "widespread human infection". Despite the scale of the alert, the WHO stated on April 29 that the majority of people infected with the virus have made a full recovery without need of medical attention or antiviral drugs.

    The new strain is an apparent reassessment of four strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1. Analysis at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified the four component strains as one endemic in humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs (swine). One swine strain was widespread in the United States, the other in Eurasia.

    In late April both the United Nations WHO and the U.S. CDC expressed serious concern about the situation, as it had the potential to become a flu pandemic due to the novelty of the influenza strain, its transmission from human to human, and the unusually high mortality rate in Mexico.

    On April 25, 2009, the WHO formally determined the situation to be a "public health emergency of international concern", with knowledge lacking in regard to "the clinical features, epidemiology, and virology of reported cases and the appropriate responses". Government health agencies around the world also expressed concerns over the outbreak and are monitoring the situation closely.

    Mexico's schools, universities, and all public events will be closed from April 24, 2009 to May 6, 2009. On April 27, 2009, a few schools in the U.S. closed due to confirmed cases in students. Two days later the action extended to 18 more U.S. schools as the disease became more widespread in the U.S., the same day WHO Director General Margaret Chan said "It really is the whole of humanity that is under threat in a pandemic," and the Mexican government ordered a shutdown of all non-essential activities in the government and private sector, amounting to a shutdown of most of the country's economy.

    According to the WHO, "In annual influenza epidemics 5-15% of the population are affected with upper respiratory tract infections. Hospitalization and deaths mainly occur in high-risk groups (elderly, chronically ill). Although difficult to assess, these annual epidemics are thought to result in between three and five million cases of severe illness and between 250 000 and 500 000 deaths every year around the world. Most deaths currently associated with influenza in industrialized countries occur among the elderly over 65 years of age.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak
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  3. #2
    Administrator Platinum Hubber NOV's Avatar
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    the symptoms would be just the SAME as for any other flu - only difference lies in the ability of this viral strain to spread quickly, as its an amalgam of different strains and seems to have a higher rate of mutation - usually, it takes close to a year to develop a vaccine as the approximate type strain is decided upon after analysing previous year's viral outbreaks - but in this case, it is an atypical virus strain that is also mutating rapidly - so may not be possible to develop a vaccine this fast

    it also remains to be seen, as to which ethnic communities are more susceptible

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    Five things you should know about the Swine Flu (from Time magazine) :
    http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...4029-1,00.html

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    Administrator Platinum Hubber NOV's Avatar
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    Its slightly more than three months since this thread was stated.

    Today's record in Malaysia:
    About 2,000 infected
    26 deaths!

    According to a doctor friend, the bad news is that 90% of Malaysians have already been exposed to the virus. What remains to be seen is the severity of the exposure.
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    Administrator Platinum Hubber NOV's Avatar
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    India is now seeing an explosion of secondary cases of H1N1 infection --people who haven't travelled to an infected country but may have got the virus from an infected individual.
    Of the 3,624 people tested till now, 782 were found to be positive. Of these cases, 511 have been discharged. India has reported two deaths.
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    Senior Member Veteran Hubber Kalyasi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NOV
    India is now seeing an explosion of secondary cases of H1N1 infection --people who haven't travelled to an infected country but may have got the virus from an infected individual.
    Of the 3,624 people tested till now, 782 were found to be positive. Of these cases, 511 have been discharged. India has reported two deaths.
    The death toll in India is 6 now!!
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    Swine flu has atlast found its way to tamilnadu from mexico.

    In Chennai and coimbatore,handful of people were tested positive with the virus.
    OM NAMASIVAYA

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    Senior Member Diamond Hubber SoftSword's Avatar
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    Keep Swine Flu Away with Basic Precautions

    Swine flu in India is spreading like wildfire, taking the toll to six. Officials say there are currently more than 800 cases of the H1N1 flu strain in India. Governments from all around the world are finding ways to combat this deadly disease. So what can you do to protect yourself? Stay calm and practice these 10 effective prevention tips.
    1. Wash your hands frequently
    Use the antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, at least 15 seconds and rinse with running water.
    2. Get enough sleep
    Try to get 8 hours of good sleep every night to keep your immune system in top flu-fighting shape.
    3. Keep hydrated
    Drink 8 to10 glasses of water each day to flush toxins from your system and maintain good moisture and mucous production in your sinuses.
    4. Boost your immune system
    Keeping your body strong, nourished, and ready to fight infection is important in flu prevention. So stick with whole grains, colorful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits.
    5. Keep informed
    The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the pandemic and periodically release guidelines to keep the pandemic away. Please make sure to keep up to date on the information and act in a calm manner.
    6. Avoid alcohol
    Apart from being a mood depressant, alcohol is an immune suppressant that can actually decrease your resistance to viral infections like swine flu. So stay away from alcoholic drinks so that your immune system may be strong.
    7. Be physically active
    Moderate exercise can support the immune system by increasing circulation and oxygenating the body. For example brisk walking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week will significantly perk up your immunity.
    8. Keep away from sick people
    Flu virus spreads when particles dispersed into the air through a cough or sneeze reach someone else’s nose. So if you have to be around someone who is sick, try to stay a few feet away from them and especially, avoid physical contact.
    9. Know when to get help
    Consult your doctor if you have a cough and fever and follow their instructions, including taking medicine as prescribed.
    10. Avoid crowded areas
    Try to avoid unnecessary trips outside. Moreover, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
    Sach is Life..

  11. #10
    Administrator Platinum Hubber NOV's Avatar
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    malaysia's death toll rose by another 6 yesterday!

    Death: 32!
    Never argue with a fool or he will drag you down to his level and beat you at it through sheer experience!

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