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WORLD HEALTH ORG WEBSITE
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CDC Swine Flu Website
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I PM Tuesday 4.28.09 Updates:::
LA Times has the latest International number rising to 90..BBC has reported that the UN has stated that The Flu can not be contained as new countries report new cases. ( BBC reported UK issued warnings yesterday about Travel to Mexico and the US.) The US Number stands at 68 have tested postive in five states, only five have been hospitalized, 3 in California and 2 in Texas. It still appears the more deadly form is in Mexico. Very few have had to be hospitalized abroad, and some have been quarantined to prevent spread. The Incubation is still thought to be 2-7 days. Dr.Besser of CDC is still giving daily press conferences, and the Travel Advisory still is requesting Travel to Mexico be limited to Only Essential Trips. As of today ALL states have requested some of the Supplies from the Strategic Stockpile in preparation. This includes non-medical supplies. I will update in the Comments the latest Morbidity and Mortality Stats from Mexico, as well as any Updates.
Bangkok Post has more of the Asian perspective of this epidemic and how it is being handled in Asia. More from The Mercury News has about the spread in Middle East and monitoring and surveillance in Asia.
Jason Linkins article about how the GOP Blocked Pandemic Funding really needs to be read,
as now the GOP's actions really have Global Implications as the International numbers rise.
Another post that is worth reading about the travel aspect is written by Fran over at Ramblings has a post called "Vacation to Die For" that really asks good questions, and certainly shows the angst that Travelers are facing right now looking at the Bigger picture.
Also Distributor Cap has an amazing post that explains the Pandemic Flu Outbreak of 1918 and also re-examines the Swine Outbreak of 1976.
Another article that is getting much focus is The Guardian Article that is zeroing in on the Possible Source of the Flu in Mexico. It centers around a small village in Vera Cruz, and the Large Corporate US owned Hog Farm. ( Yes, it is a Smithfield Farm). The Bigger question that is emerging about the Flu is the path of transmission Actual Contact with the excrement or is it the Flies that have excrement. ( Tests are being run on samples from the farm at University of New Mexico). The Guardian has an entire page dedicated to following up all angles of this Epidemic.
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** ? Enigma HOG WASTE Question ?***
As of 3PM::: Is the Hog Farm Excrement used to fertilize fruits and vegetables ? Because if it is then that path of transmission also needs to be examined ? I also have heard no discussion of whether Hog Farm Workers have been sick or tested ? It seems that would be a path of exploration. And sadly yes, it does raise questions about all the Hog Waste Issues and how it could possibly contaminate the food chain or reach people. Secretary of Agriculture Vlsak said that Pork Products are safe in HLS Presser today, he did not explain well enough Why pork is being scrutinized, he turned into a time to promote the Hog Industry.Sadly he is missing the point , that it is NOT just an Economic Issue, it is a Safety Issue- people want to be reassured that their MEAT is Safe. Sadly he caused confusion, claiming that it should not be called Swine Flu which will only cause confusion at this critical time. Sadly a Mixed Message can cause problems, Dr.Bresser of the CDC gave his presser earlier at 2 PM , and he still called it the Flu Swine Flu.)
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AP :: ;Latest Video about the Global Rise and the implications for International travelers, and even explains how they face Quarantine issues abroad. ( Linked to the title is BBC Video about travel and global spread, or you can watch here also.)
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3:30 PM Update::::
LA TIMES Governor declares Emergency:::
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today proclaimed a state of emergency over the spread of swine flu, expediting state agency responses to the outbreak.State health officials have been aggressively working to combat the outbreak, and the proclamation is simply one more step in that effort, not an indication that the outbreak here has become more severe.The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also declared a local state of emergency today.
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"Carnival Cruises has Cancelled Mexico Cruises" ( AP: 2PM)
Carnival cancels Mexico cruise stops over flu fear//From Associated Press//April 28, 2009 1:51 PM EDT
MIAMI - Carnival Cruise Lines has suspended stops at Mexican ports over concerns about swine flu.The company says it canceled Mexico stops for three ships scheduled to visit the country Tuesday. It hasn't yet announced a decision on future stops there.Meanwhile, the company and competitors Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Lines tried to allay guest fears by emphasizing how thoroughly the ships are cleaned.Norwegian's Pearl is on a special voyage with Mexico stops. The company says it is monitoring the situation and asking passengers about their health before cruises start.Royal Caribbean says it's monitoring the situation but telling passengers not to worry because the outbreaks are inland, not in the Mexican coastal cities popular with cruise tourists.
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US CDC Numbers :: 2PM
California 10 cases
Kansas 2 cases
New York City 45 cases
Ohio 1 case
Texas 6 cases
TOTAL COUNT 64 cases
( up above I listed 68- but that is what was is being reported on most news outlets and also foreign ones- so I am trying get a better updated number, important to note that the 45 number is based on person to person transmission- only 8 of those went to Mexico- so this is a true Cluster that shows Human to Human transmission).
Anderson Cooper updated his Blog tonight and interviewed Dr.Gupta.
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11PM
While reading about Sebelius Update;;::
I came across the Sentence in the story that says that the US Number is up to 64 ??? We will learn more tomorrow.
"But Sebelius will take office as U.S. health officials rush to prepare for a possible widespread outbreak of a new strain of flu that has killed scores of people in Mexico and sickened at least 64 in the United States."
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CBS is trying to educate people on this disease by having questions and education provided by Infectious Disease Physicians. Huffpost article explains more.
New WHO website
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