Swine flu: a new threat in the 21st century

[TranceFusion]

WASHINGTON – The world's governments raced to avoid both a pandemic and global hysteria Sunday as more possible swine flu cases surfaced from Canada to New Zealand and the United States declared a public health emergency. "It's not a time to panic," the White House said.

Mexico, the outbreak's epicenter with up to 86 suspected deaths, canceled some church services and closed markets and restaurants. Few people ventured onto the streets, and some wore face masks. Canada became the third country to confirm cases, in six people, including some students who — like some New York City spring-breakers — got mildly ill in Mexico. Countries across Asia promised to quarantine feverish travelers returning from flu-affected areas.

The U.S. declared the health emergency so it could ship roughly 12 million doses of flu-fighting medications from a federal stockpile to states in case they eventually need them — although, with 20 confirmed cases of people recovering easily, they don't appear to for now.

Make no mistake: There is not a global pandemic — at least not yet. It's not clear how many people truly have this particular strain, or why all countries but Mexico are seeing mild disease. Nor is it clear if the new virus spreads easily, one milestone that distinguishes a bad flu from a global crisis. But waiting to take protective steps until after a pandemic is declared would be too late.

"We do think this will continue to spread but we are taking aggressive actions to minimize the impact on people's health," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President Barack Obama's administration sought to look both calm and in command, striking a balance between informing Americans without panicking them. Obama himself was playing golf while U.S. officials used a White House news conference to compare the emergency declaration with preparing for an approaching hurricane.

"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 or seriousness of this outbreak is going to be," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters.

Earlier, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the outbreak was serious, but that the public should know "it's not a time to panic." He told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Obama was getting updates "every few hours" on the situation.

In Mexico, soldiers handed out 6 million surgical-style masks to deal with a deadly flu strain that officials say may have sickened 1,400 people since April 13. Special laboratory tests to confirm how many died from it — 22 have been confirmed so far out of 86 suspected deaths — are taking time.

The World Bank said it would send Mexico $25 million in loans for immediate aid and $180 million in long-term assistance to address the outbreak, along with advice on how other nations have dealt with similar crises.

The World Health Organization and the U.S. were following a playbook of precautions developed over the past five years to prepare for the next super-flu. The WHO on Saturday asked all countries to step up detection of this strain of A/H1N1 swine flu and will reconsider on Tuesday whether to raise the pandemic threat level, in turn triggering additional actions.

A potential pandemic virus is defined, among other things, as a novel strain that's not easily treated. This new strain can be treated with Tamiflu and Relenza, but not two older flu drugs. Also, the WHO wants to know if it's easily spread from one person to a second who then spreads it again — something U.S. officials suspect and are investigating.

"Right now we have cases occurring in a couple of different countries and in multiple locations, but we also know that in the modern world that cases can simply move around from single locations and not really become established," cautioned WHO flu chief Dr. Keiji Fukuda.

There is no vaccine against swine flu, but the CDC has taken the initial step necessary for producing one — creating a seed stock of the virus — should authorities decide that's necessary. Last winter's flu shot offers no cross-protection to the new virus, although it's possible that older people exposed to various Type A flu strains in the past may have some immunity, CDC officials said Sunday.

Worldwide, attention focused sharply on travelers.

"It was acquired in Mexico, brought home and spread," Nova Scotia's chief public health officer, Dr. Robert Strang, said of Canada's first four confirmed cases, in student travelers.

New Zealand said 10 students who took a school trip to Mexico "likely" had swine flu. Spanish authorities had seven suspected cases under observation. A New York City school where eight cases are confirmed will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

China, Russia and Taiwan began planning to quarantine travelers arriving from flu-affected areas if they have symptoms. Italy, Poland and Venezuela advised citizens to postpone travel to affected parts of Mexico and the U.S.

The U.S. hasn't advised against travel to Mexico but does urge precautions such as frequent hand-washing while there, and began questioning arriving travelers about flu symptoms.

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[TranceFusion]

I also read in another article that a man in Israel is suspected to have symptoms of swine flu and is staying at the hospital after he came back from Mexico. So yea, try your best to be careful everyone!!

[Night Stalker]

don't get too excited.. i have worked for quite some time in the "drug industry".. the most corrupt industry in the NWO... J&J, BAER etc... there is no business like "legal drug" business.. and funny thing the same companies are the ones that decide what is normal or not, what is a disease and what is not... a dream industry where the ref is the player.

i strongly advice u and anyone reading this thread to check out this link

http://vodpod.com/watch/1468737-big-buc ... hing-drugs

P.S. one of the few times im really serious guys... just watch the link for starts.. the biggest and most powerful industry that effects the whole world more any other, while the majority are most ignorant about, the most dilusional industry ever created in the last century, there is a reason lads where you would have AIDS drugs that keep you hooked for 100 years yet noone is fucking interested in making a cure, how stupid would it be to create a drug that you can sell one time, while you can have life long customers.

[[IN]Head-Kay]

[samlbronkowitz]

[DonSerj]

[TranceFusion]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090427/h ... 9189402900
Check this out

[[IN]Head-Kay]

wats the deal with mehicooo, wtf, an earthquake now !

[ziz00_909]

dude nothing hits lebanon .. we have our ways :P

[A-Cube]

Drug companies are world-wide succubus. Only the people with enough money up their ass get the medication while others die with no dignity whatsoever. I'm sure an AIDS vaccine is being kept somewhere warm out of third-world countries' reach. Bastards.

[[IN]Head-Kay]

^ Agreed , im sure they pretty much figured cancer as well! Whats the deal with conspiracy theories, do we thrive on them ?

[Night Stalker]

[Night Stalker]

[J & N]

[TranceFusion]

^ There is a guy in Canada that is suspected to have the swine flu. But hey, today i saw that there are now 2 cases in Israel so i doubt that Lebanon will be spared IF THIS BECOMES AN EPIDEMY.

However i've read some articles the last couple of days about this and i have the feeling that i am more and more convinced that this time it's the pharmaceutical companies that are behind this. Look now, this swine flu virus has the DNA made of the human flu, avian flu and swine flu DNAs so obviously no vaccine can fight it. And guess what, TODAY the American scientists announced that they got a positive result of a universal vaccine that can fight this swine flu virus. Soon they will decide to sell it to the world (if there is an epidemy) and they will make a lot of cash out of it. Just like in wars! There is always someone who makes profit from wars by killing innocents. This universal vaccine is available just a few days after the outbreak! Now the Mexicans believe that the source of the virus is a huge swine farm near the capital. Another curious thing to keep an eye on: why is the outbreak much more violent in Mexico and much more milder just nearby in the USA (and elsewhere in the world)?? People got back from Mexico in the last month (France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Israel, New Zealand, Canada, Australia) and so far there has been only 2-4 confirmed cases of a mild (soft) swine flu. I don't believe that it will become a pandemy, the maximum it can become is a global epidemy that will calm down in a few weeks just like with the avian flu. However i do believe that the pharmaceutical companies are now global monsters and will only become more powerful in the future because people use a lot of drugs/medication and it doesn't look like this trend will change.