So what's happening with swine flu?

mitchymo

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What's going on in YOUR country, there has been almost a dis-interest by the media in the uk about the spread in other countries now that they can focus on cases at home....14 dead with 10,000+ confirmed cases and this is in our summer, i hate to imagine what it may get like come winter.
 

D_Jared Padalicki

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last check were 43 contaminated, no dead yet. But we are expecting after the holidays that we will have 30% of the people contaminated with the disease (getting back from risk areas), a disaster for economics because alot of them will be absent. Not a thing we can use with the recession going on
 
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Here in the US mostly kids are getting it and are recovering. The media has ignored it since Michael Jackson's death and issues are more pressing. :rolleyes: Can't his family have any privacy?
 

rbkwp

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New Zealand...Students were exposed .. affected in a very minor way (they had flown back from Mexico)
when it first broke..
A couple of weeks of precautions from authorities here .. then it sort of quietened down
Then Aussie (especially Melbourne) seemed to get a fair wack of case,s about 3 weeks ago
So NZ was not to be denied and we started reporting ..just a little bit more
Each time that UN Woman uttered something
ie raised the level..a little more drama hits the media
OVERALL my take on it is
A WHOLE LOTTA SHIT
--same as y2k etc-- i came to that conclusion about two days after the kids came back from Mexico
Also if folk are a little worried re WINTER..well we are having one of the coldest Winters at the moment....refer to my above
Obviously take into account Populations and density of people living .. on top of one another over there.. we have 4 Million spread out over the little country.
3 Deaths thus far .. but also its proven they had other complications also..like the 19 year old who died..had asthma as well..so you never really know i geuss?
enz
 

craig_uk

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New Zealand...Students were exposed .. affected in a very minor way (they had flown back from Mexico) ...
OVERALL my take on it is
A WHOLE LOTTA SHIT
--same as y2k etc-- i came to that conclusion about two days after the kids came back from Mexico

Didn't take you long to jump to a conclusion that there is nothing to worry about did it. It has killed 4 people in the last week in the UK. Most but not all of those dying have had underlying health issues. It is expected to increase to 40 deaths a week by mid August.

This is not likely to be as serious as it might have been because whilst it is going to infect large numbers it currently kills a lesser proportion that regular seasonal flu. It is infecting people under 25 more than other age groups (unlike seasonal flu) and it probaly has this in common with the Spanish flu of 1918 which killed about 5% of the world's population (and a lot more than 4 years of the most bloody war ever). But then what do these scientists know? Should just ask you. You can make your mind up with no research in two days that it's a "lotta shit".

Interesting that you compare this to Y2k, something you also regard as a "lotta shit". You base that on extensive research as well? Just because there wasn't any major disaster doesn't mean there was no risk of a disaster. It might just be possible through planning and appropriate action that we can reduce risks and even prevent a disaster. There were very real issues that were solved in the years leading up to Y2K. Without a proper awareness campaign, problems are not brought to peoples attention, issues don't get funded and can never be effectively dealt with.
 

eddyabs

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We have to wait and see on this one....29 deaths is not a hugely worrying statistic...an average flu season here in the UK sees anything between 5000 to 8000 deaths...and in 99-2000 we had 21000 deaths from a flu virus. From what I hear from a friend who has it (no underlying health issues), she's doing okay and over the worse of it.

What we really should be worrying about is whether or not the virus will mutate (the former being unfortunately more likely). I really don't want to see that happen.
 

eddyabs

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Kotchanski, I believe that once the flu virus rose above a certain statistic, the department that deals with these matters effectively gave up on quarantine measures, as they felt that once the virus had affected 'x' amount of people, it would be a waste of time and resources. I agree with you that it makes no sense in allowing those showing signs of the virus in being allowed to carry on as usual. Surely those in the workplace have power to initiate quarantine....especially in public spaces, schools etc....or at least have the common sense to do so!

As for your 1 year old nephew, I can understand your worry in one so young. I pray that he gets through this ok.