Swine Flu
 

Up to 40 per cent of the British population could be infected with swine flu over the next few months, a leading expert warned today. :eek:

Professor Neil Ferguson, a World Health Organisation official, predicted millions would be hit if the deadly outbreak becomes a pandemic.

The news came as a woman was admitted to West Middlesex hospital with 'flu-like' symptoms. The woman has recently returned home from a trip to Mexico.

The academic, who sits on the WHO taskforce that last night decided to put the world on alert, forecast swine flu could blight Britain for months.

This next bit will make you laugh!!

Gordon Brown insists the UK is one of the countries best placed to tackle the virus because the Government has been preparing for years.

At the moment in the UK we have a couple of people with flu like symptoms, and the government are already in their emergency bunker planning what to do next.

Makes good news dosn't it, especially when it takes the spotlight off the real News in the UK which is the Theiving which the labour Government have now become famous for.

So a couple of people have the swine flu, what about the rise of the Hospital Superbug MRSA??

The rise of the hospital superbug is the visible sign of a bureaucracy in crisis. Cases of MRSA in England and Wales have increased by 600% in the past decade alone, according to government figures. Britain has one of the worst records in Europe.

The danger of contracting a bug here is more than 15 times higher than the next safest countries. Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) affects 300,000 people a year, claiming as many as 20,000 lives, with more than 5,000 a year dying of hospital superbugs such as MRSA

So in the UK we have approx 5,000 people dying in Hospital because they are so filthy?? Why don't the Government start dealing with more important issues at home rather than trying to create panic, We had the same Panic last year with Bird flu, Only a few turkeys died, and its all old news now. 10 years ago we were all going to die of aids :eek:

Keeping a hospital clean does not require money or complicated equipment. It does require will. It requires someone to exercise authority and take responsibility. Florence Nightingale understood this when she cut the fatality rate of wounded soldiers from 40% to just 5% by imposing basic standards of hygiene and sanitation. She organised her nurses on almost military lines and subjected them to military discipline.

What do we have instead? One former matron, now in audit work, pointed out the difficulty of disciplining a nurse for incompetence in the NHS today. Modern management is meant to ?nurture? its employees. ?You can?t bawl them out or they?ll sue you for harassment,? she explained. Instead, ?in a nice, soft voice, you have to ask if that was the way she had been taught? Did she consider it appropriate??

Meanwhile shoppers are turning to Amazon for protection - with the online retailer selling out of its new bestseller items - packs of 50 surgical facemasks.

The item tops the Home and Gardens bestseller list - with another brand of masks also entering the Top 10.
Other online retailers are selling 'swine protection kits', costing around ?20, which provide face masks, disposable coveralls, gloves, blue elasticated over-shows, disinfectant cleansing wipes and alcohol hand rubs. :D:D


oh well its been nice knowing you all. :D

I hope I don't have the swine flu or else. Bye.

Its the end of the world and we all going to die - well not really.
Few weeks it die down never to be heard of again.
I would`nt worry about it to much.If it happens it happens.

^He speaks the truth. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn't, it doesn't, and if it does occur, u'r more likely to die or live. ;]

this flu is considered dangerous only for poor populations... people die in Mexico, but are far from being in trouble in the USA or Canada... we are not protected, but as someone said on tv today, that flu is way weaker than most of the flues and sicknesses we have in Canada due to the temperature. it is dangerous where it is hot and sweaty because it may bring more infections to trouble.

I agree with you mate 100%

They need to be seen to make a fuss because it concerns the states also, But MRSA in fithly UK Hospitals which kill 5,000 a year, well thats our little secret, we'll keep quite about that one.

Makes me mad :mad:

The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Oi! Come on folks, it's over hype by the media to get higher ratings. In the U.S. alone, 36,000 people die annually from the flu. The only difference between plain ol' influenza and "swine flue" is the name and source of the bug. It's still the flu and the symptoms are no different. Sheesh!

agree as well. If you are concerned you are going to get it or just want to be safe, do what you would normally do to prevent getting a cold. Boost your immune system and watch being around ill people...that's all my family is doing. Freaking out like some are doing is just crazy..price of oil dropped...grocery stores being jam packed...just complete panic over something I feel will be over soon...I hope!

I read the contrary from an expert:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28...ing/index.html

and I lived 5 years in Mexico City, man! they live under a cloud of smog, and no many fauna survive that... so no 'hotness' apply...

p.s. the only good thing coming from Canada was Pamela Anderson :eek:

I live in Texas....

....yay....

To be honest, this is a little exaggerated so they can't be blamed for not warning people.

strangely, i prefer the oppinion of thousands of specialists instead of the contrary opinion of only one...
strangely, when i read the panic spread all over the planet, i must say they all panic for no reason... Russia just blocked the import of all the pork/swine meat coming from Mexico... how moronish when we all know that the flu is not spread by the porks but by humans.. this is pathetic when a big country like Russia is spreading panic more than needed...

--------------- Added [DATE]1240946394[/DATE] at [TIME]1240946394[/TIME] ---------------

yeah, i know we're sending you all our crap, like Celine Dion... rofl...

Where are you getting your 5,000 deaths a year from MRSA figure from?

I'd say his backside....

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=1067

Just wait for a cure

Before you rush out and try and buy Tamiflu, etc, remember that there is no vaccine. Tamiflu will only help you if you have already contracted it.

In case it is useful or interesting, I wanted to pass along some information that we were sent by the CDC (I work for a health clinic):

Situation Update

• Today CDC is reporting 64 human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) in the United States (an increase in 24 over the number of cases reported yesterday. This includes 17 additional cases in New York, 3 additional cases in California and 4 additional cases in Texas.)

• The confirmed case count is: California (10), Kansas (2), New York (45), Ohio (1) and Texas (6).
• In addition, 5 hospitalizations from swine flu have been reported.
• No deaths have been confirmed so far.

• Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it and so illness may be more severe and widespread as a result.

• The picture on the world stage is more somber today too.

• Internationally, cases have now been confirmed in Canada, Mexico, Scotland and Spain. Spain (1), Scotland (2).

• All three of these cases had recent travel to Mexico.

• Based on the rapid spread of the virus thus far, we believe that more cases will be identified over the coming weeks and months.

• Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of a new influenza virus to which humans have not previously been widely exposed and which cause ?community-level outbreaks.?

• The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.

• As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to Phase 3 or raise the level of alert to another phase.

• This decision was based primarily on epidemiological data demonstrating human-to-human transmission and the ability of the virus to cause community-level outbreaks.

• This is indeed sobering, but it?s important to keep in mind that we are not helpless.

• The Federal Government is mounting an aggressive response to this outbreak.

• To this end, CDC continues to update guidance. New guidance has been issued overnight. Visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/flu/swine for more information or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

• This is a rapidly evolving situation and guidance should be considered interim and will be updated frequently.

• Yesterday (April 27), CDC issued a travel health warning recommending that travelers postpone all non-essential travel to Mexico until further notice.

• At the local level, some schools have been closed in parts of California, Texas and Ohio.

• Community-level social distancing efforts to slow the spread of disease will be in an important tool at our disposal against this swine influenza outbreak.
• Simply put ?social distancing? is a way of ?keeping our distance? from each other to lessen the spread of flu.

• Many people believe that there is no treatment for a viral infection and that it must run its course. That is not true!

• Influenza antiviral drugs work best when stated soon after illness onset (within two 2 days), but treatment with antiviral drugs should still be considered after 48 hours of symptom onset, particularly for hospitalized patients or people at high risk for influenza-related complications.

Public

• There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu, but we have begun the process to get a vaccine developed.
• But as mentioned before, we do have antiviral medications in our arsenal against flu.
• In addition, there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.
• Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• Do not go to work or school if you are sick. CDC recommends that you limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• If you are sick, do not go to work or school.

Additionally:
A suspected case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection is defined as a person with acute febrile respiratory illness with onset

• within 7 days of close contact with a person who is a confirmed case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, or
• within 7 days of travel to community either within the United States or internationally where there are one or more confirmed swine influenza A(H1N1) cases,
• or resides in a community where there are one or more confirmed swine influenza cases.

THIS IS NOT TIME TO PANIC??IT IS TIME TO PREPARE?

it's time to take a coffee and watch the americans panic for a second time in 4 years

This all reminds me of the SARS BS a few years ago. Look how that fizzled out.

People, the media is out for one thing. Ratings. I'm amazed at how many people take what the MSM says as gospel. **sigh**

From the times Online
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/com...cle1977492.ece

or here a slightly higher figure

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/majo...-patients.html

Infact there are 20,000 reported cases and 5,000 confirmed deaths on average in the UK, which to me is more of a concern than Pig Flu, Bird flu etc...

Of ALL HAI deaths, some of which include MSRA.

Thats just the one strain Staphylococcus aureus Theres about 2 or 3 different types, which fall under the same caterory ;)

tbh we could do with a mass epidemic to wipe out millions of us.
The world is overcrowded and even natural disaters are not wiping out enough.The only mass killer wiping us out at the moment is Time.
KK it sounds harsh i admit but we over populated and one thing to be said about wars is,its gets the population down and brings fresh growth.
The biggest virus on this earth is man - we spread faster than any other diesease.

Well the first death in the U.S. was just confirmed here in Texas. A 23 month old died from the Swine Flu.

The only thing that concerns me is that I have a 8 month old son and the really young are the most vulnerable.

it must concern you only if your kid was in contact with someone who got that exact flu... anyway, you will have to face more important problems if your kid get a different illness and the only solution you have is to take care of your son... panic is the last resort

I guess at the moment the young and elderly are vunarable, just like normal flu, the problem is that no one will know where the next serious case will be, the few that have it in the UK are responding well to treatment apparently :up:

I just phoned the hotline over here in the UK to get some advice, and all I could hear was a crackling noise.

they were eating chips, watching tv while everybody's in panic...

that's how the UK is driven anyway ?!

It has reached the Netherlands too...

Im OK as Ive got some protective Oinkment :D:o

Sorry couldnt resist ;)

Oink hatsjoe!!!!!
oh great now the most people are in extreme large groups outside
due to queens day ,this is asking for it afaik

<a href="http://rockpapernuke.com/forums/off-topic/256-how-swine-flu-got-started.html" target="_blank">How it started</a>.

:D:D:D:D

Just read some goverment official of Obama got infected

(Got no English source..)

Apparently one of the main symtpoms is the victim developing rashers.

Rapscallion

i think i may have had a case of the swine flu, i live in nyc and got really sick a week ago but never went to the hospital. i recovered a few days later and everything is alright now...

they blow things out of proportion in the media because the media is sensationalist, but i dont believe in writing off the danger either. pandemics start slowly and then come back in second and third waves claiming more and more victims. just the fact alone that the virus was affecting people worldwide all in a very short period of time makes me nervous.

in the back of my mind i keep feeling like this virus was manufactured in a lab somewhere...

Thank goodness my stock in Alcoa isn't going down anytime soon.

heh... The month of may for the dow will go down ;)
Im in regional banks which is getting hammered... :( - Down $7k USD

Drug stocks all seem to be doing fine, they pump and dump

It is good to know that Madagascar will survive to re-populate the planet.

:D:D:D

My joke clearly went over your heads :rolleyes:

Eat right! Make sure you get your daily dose of fruits and veggies.

Take your vitamins and bump up your vitamin c.

Get plenty of exercise because exercise helps build your immune system. Walk for at least hour a day, go for a swim, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.

Wash your hands often. If you can’t wash them, keep a bottle of antibacterial
stuff around. Wear a mask when out in public places and avoid going out in public as much as possible while the swine flu is spreading. Get lots of fresh air. Open windows whenever possible. Get plenty of rest. Try to eliminate as much stress from your life as you can.

OR ….

You can take the doctor’s office approach. Think about it, when you go
for a shot, what do they do first? Clean your arm with alcohol.. Why? Because
alcohol kills germs.

So…… I put on my mask, walk to the liquor store (exercise), I put lime in my Corona (fruit), celery in my Bloody Mary (veggies), drink on the bar patio (fresh air), get drunk, tell jokes, and laugh (eliminate stress) and then pass out (rest). The way I see it, if you keep your alcohol levels up flu germs can’t get you!!!!

:D