WHO plans emergency session over deadly Mexico flu outbreak

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Five-hole

From the article:

The latest numbers from that country indicate the new virus that is baffling scientists is believed to be responsible for making more than 1,600 people sick, and for killing as many as 152 people.

Baffling scientists? Nice reporting.

I dont get what is wrong with that statement...when you combine it with the very next sentence.

Swine flu in humans has now spread to 16 countries but the only deaths from it have occurred in Mexico. The latest numbers from that country indicate the new virus that is baffling scientists is believed to be responsible for making more than 1,600 people sick, and for killing as many as 152 people.

Experts have not yet determined why the flu is proving deadly in Mexico and has been mild in other parts of the world.

[Shazam]

It may have something to do with Mexico's 3rd world health care system.

Just sayin'

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

If it wasn't for that group in Ottawa and the center for disease control in the US, Sars and the Bird flu would've been significantly worse than they ended up being. For example, SARS would've been equal to the spanish flu in terms of impact had there not been any action taken to quarantine and prevent.

No it wouldn't have..................these diseases give most people the sniffles. It was only infant aged children and the elderly who were/are truly at risk of serious sickness or death.

I have heard the word "pandemic" many times in the last week or so. Its just a bunch of media hype...

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

No it wouldn't have..................these diseases give most people the sniffles. It was only infant aged children and the elderly who were/are truly at risk of serious sickness or death.

I have heard the word "pandemic" many times in the last week or so. Its just a bunch of media hype...

Like with airport security, Id much rather the people in charge be over-cautious than under. Just because you can't remember the last pandemic, doesn't mean its a fairy tale.

[FiftyBelow]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

No it wouldn't have..................these diseases give most people the sniffles. It was only infant aged children and the elderly who were/are truly at risk of serious sickness or death.

I have heard the word "pandemic" many times in the last week or so. Its just a bunch of media hype...

You may have heard the word "pandemic" but the last time I checked the WHO has the alert level at 4. As well, the recent strain of swine flu has affected people mostly between the ages of 20 - 45. Another cause for concern. I'm not saying we should sound the alarms and go into complete social quarantine. But there should definitely be a heightened awareness. Passive attitude is simply unacceptable at this time. It always fascinates me that people are only willing to act after something tragic happens.

[photon]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

No it wouldn't have..................these diseases give most people the sniffles. It was only infant aged children and the elderly who were/are truly at risk of serious sickness or death.

In general maybe, but not always necessarily true.

http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/20..._in_health.php

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

I have heard the word "pandemic" many times in the last week or so. Its just a bunch of media hype...

Maybe you just don't understand what pandemic means then? From Wiki:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a pandemic can start when three conditions have been met:

• Emergence of a disease new to a population.
• Agents infect humans, causing serious illness.
• Agents spread easily and sustainably among humans.

[Cowboy89]

http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/cal...104/story.html

“A little flu bug isn’t going to stop me,” said Doug Klementovich. “Do you think I would give up spending my 50th birthday in Cancun just because somebody’s got a little bug?”
The businessman spends four months of the year in Mexico. He flies out every month for a week and equates this swine flu talk to the SARS scare of a few years ago. He said he’s going to wash his hands as much as possible, but won’t be wearing a mask. Cancun’s pretty far from Mexico City, he said.
“Did you wear a mask in Edmonton just because there was SARS in Toronto?”
Shawn MacDonald, 26, is a little more nervous. “I also know how everything gets so hyped up.”

This a-hat and people of his ilk are literally going to be the death of us all. Look at how fast this has spread and look at how many people in Mexico have died from this (The mortality rate is rediculous).

[LChoy]

“Did you wear a mask in Edmonton just because there was SARS in Toronto?”

It is generally advisable to wear a mask while in Edmonton

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/cal...104/story.html



This a-hat and people of his ilk are literally going to be the death of us all. Look at how fast this has spread and look at how many people in Mexico have died from this (The mortality rate is rediculous).

Keep in mind Mexico is a 3rd world country........atleast it was the last time I checked, and I bet their health care is not so accessible and quite crummy.
I don't fear swine flu in the least.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by photon

In general maybe, but not always necessarily true.

http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/20..._in_health.php



Maybe you just don't understand what pandemic means then? From Wiki:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a pandemic can start when three conditions have been met:

• Emergence of a disease new to a population.
• Agents infect humans, causing serious illness.
• Agents spread easily and sustainably among humans.

I guess I over estimated what a pandemic is........
It sounds serious though, ha! Like pandemonium!!!

[united]

Air Transat cancels all flights to Mexico until June 1.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/200...8/transat.html

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by united

Air Transat cancels all flights to Mexico until June 1.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/200...8/transat.html

What is that, 5 flights a week from Canada? After spring break the value travel market dries up. Likely shifting lift to the Euro market.

If anyone needs to get down there or back, Continental is by far the least expensive. $360 (includes tax) Canadian one way to Calgary from Monterray or Mexico City.

[CrusaderPi]

Originally Posted by transplant99

We all are aware that Rush limbaugh is just bat-crap crazy....but this is just bizzare, even for him.

He is blaming Obama for the outbreak.

Obama hates Mexicans?

[Byrns]

[IronDave]

Odds on me coming back from may long to this?

[joe_mullen]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/cal...104/story.html



This a-hat and people of his ilk are literally going to be the death of us all. Look at how fast this has spread and look at how many people in Mexico have died from this (The mortality rate is rediculous).

Has the mortality rate really been ridiculous? About 150 people have died so far in a metropolitan area of approximately 20 million people. One could argue that's relatively insignificant on a population level. Over 13000 US Americans have died from the regular flu so far this year...that is much more significant but yet does not make any headlines.

[corporatejay]

The biggest difference is that it is the young and relatively healthy are dying.

People have to understand that if they don't take these precautions it will become and epidemic. Once a virus can be transmitted easily from person to person, serious steps needs to be taken to limit exposure. This has the potential to be disastrous, countries are taking necessary precautions to limit exposure to their citizens. I'm not saying to lock yourself in your house, but taking reasonable steps to remain healthy isn't a bad idea.

[joe_mullen]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

The biggest difference is that it is the young and relatively healthy are dying.

People have to understand that if they don't take these precautions it will become and epidemic. Once a virus can be transmitted easily from person to person, serious steps needs to be taken to limit exposure. This has the potential to be disastrous, countries are taking necessary precautions to limit exposure to their citizens. I'm not saying to lock yourself in your house, but taking reasonable steps to remain healthy isn't a bad idea.

That's a fair point but not one person in North America has died from this. Young people also die from the regular flu. Obviously, common sense measures such as hand washing should be taken but call me unconvinced that this is anything but media hype. Definitely tragic but on a population level it is so far fairly underwhelming. Hopefully I'm not shown to be in the wrong.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by FiftyBelow

You may have heard the word "pandemic" but the last time I checked the WHO has the alert level at 4. As well, the recent strain of swine flu has affected people mostly between the ages of 20 - 45. Another cause for concern. I'm not saying we should sound the alarms and go into complete social quarantine. But there should definitely be a heightened awareness. Passive attitude is simply unacceptable at this time. It always fascinates me that people are only willing to act after something tragic happens.

agreed, very short sighted to be saying "it was nothing, see!!! fear mongering" but if they let something like this get out of control then you get a bunch of finger pointing. I have no problem with them taking this seriously at all, as they should - the fact that epidemics haven't been prevailent the last few years is because the medical people have been serious about containing it.

what an odd statement (re: mikey_redneck) that history shows epidemics are low, when the fact of the reality is its contained because it was taken seriously. But since those epidemics were nothing because they were contained, then they shouldn't worry about containing it.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by joe_mullen

That's a fair point but not one person in North America has died from this. Young people also die from the regular flu. Obviously, common sense measures such as hand washing should be taken but call me unconvinced that this is anything but media hype. Definitely tragic but on a population level it is so far fairly underwhelming. Hopefully I'm not shown to be in the wrong.

Ummm...what?

A government official confirmed the first U.S. death from the new H1N1 swine flu on Wednesday, a 23-month-old child who died in Texas.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090429/..._flu_usa_death

Mexico shut down schools, museums, libraries and state-run theaters across its overcrowded capital Friday in hopes of containing a swine flu outbreak that authorities say killed at least 20 people — and perhaps dozens more

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30386163/


I cant believe the laissez faire attitude so many are taking in regards to this thing. No, we dont have to panic and head for the nearest underground bomb shelters, but this is a pretty serious deal. The thing with it is that they have never seen such a strain, therefor they have little to combat it with and have no idea exactly how it is transmitted other than it can become airborne and be passed from person to person.

“We are very, very concerned,” World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said.

“We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human,” he said. “It’s all hands on deck at the moment