H1N1 (Swine Flu) spreads worldwide= Is declared a Pandemic

[Dionne]

h1n1 is a lot more dangerous and will kill many more Americans than 911 and Katrina combined (which both got much press attention). h1n1 is also killing people in the prime of their lives. yet h1n1 gets downplayed by the media. go figure :/

Over 300 million people in the U.S. 21,449 confirmed H1N1 cases. 87 people have died. .0004% of those infected have died. The Pandemic alert was issued because of the virus being widespread globally, not because of the severity.

More people died yesterday from the "car accident virus" than the H1N1 count.

[GoGoGop]

"Over 300 million people in the U.S. 21,449 confirmed H1N1 cases. 87 people have died. .0004% of those infected have died."

This is not a mild virus. The WHO lists it as moderate. It is not like the regular flu. It kills more readily than the regular flu. It also kills young people not the elderly.

By the end of the year as much as half of the US population could have been infected. Take the current death toll from the CDC website, which is about 1 in 250 and multiply it by 150 million and you will see that the death toll will be huge. Also, the regular flu mostly kills elderly people who are already near the end of their lives. The swine flu is killing people who are mostly aged 25 to 55. Hardly any of the people dying from swine flu are over 65. Don't just read the headlines go into the swine flu stories - the people dying are pregnant mothers, young fathers, moms and some children too. I'd say that it is pretty significant if 100,000s of people in the prime of their lives die from swine flu this year. Millions of sick people out from work all at once will also cause the hospitals to be overrun and employers to have massive people out from work this fall. Productivity will plunge.

To me this seems pretty significant and I find it concerning that the government is not making h1n1 a screaming #1 priority. If they don't it's pretty obvious what's going to happen in September and October when the virus spread even more easily and quickly than it is doing right now.

[Dionne]

Nope. I'm buying into the hype. 44,287 cases worldwide with 180 deaths. From what I read in CDC.....those at risk already have health issues. Somehow, I don't think using your multiplier of 250/1 is an accurate forecast model. The numbers are just to large. No doubt, hysteria is in place. I've seen the face masks in airports. In fact, CDC has a hotline you can call to deal with anxiety associated with this virus.

Also know, that I suspect Bec and I have already had a mild version of flu. We have both been to Mexico and Texas, before and after the virus made it's appearance.

When we got home we simply sheltered in place for one week. We have been to the doctor and been given medication for future use, if necessary. Are we now immune? Who knows? If your calculations are even remotely close.....I suppose we will find out soon enough.

[lurkey]

Until this particular H1N1 flu virus is said to contain the particular genetic sequence that has made Spanish flu and other pandemics so deadly, I'm not freaking out about it. I will keep an eye on it,because any flu has the capacity to become a deadly pandemic.

[GoGoGop]

Flu is one of our worst enemies - it makes 911-like attacks and Katrinas super teeny and irrelevant by comparison. Even a moderate flu pandemic can kill lots of people. The death rate of the spanish flu was only about 2% of those it infected and it killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide and 600,000+ in the U.S. That was 1918 with a smaller population than we have today. Even a moderate virus like this one will have a staggering death toll even if it only kills say 1 in 250 or even 1 in 1000 if a large percentage of the population becomes ill from it - which is expected. What you have to remember is almost everyone gets sick. You can't get away from it. Most people (99% or higher) will survive but because so many people get infected the death toll is very big even if the death rate is very low.

Every one seems to be thinking "oh its mild - no big deal." or "oh its not 1918 no worries then" but they are wrong. Even a moderate pandemic can wreak havoc and with the larger US population a death toll of 250,000 or more (mostly people in the prime of life) for 2009 will not be surprising - and would still be considered a moderate pandemic and not a severe one. A severe flu pandemic could kill millions in the U.S. alone.

Above someone mentioned that the CDC says most people dying have underlying health conditions. Yeah right. They include things like obesity, asthma, pregnancy, diabetes, high blood pressure, psoriasis and almost anything they can think of as an underlying health condition - tens of millions of people stand under that huge tent. Also there have been reports of people as young as 20 with no underlying health conditions dying. It may be some sort of genetic roulette as to who lives and dies. If you already had it you do have immunity, unless it mutates.

[lurkey]

Again, not freaking out . . Concerned but not freaking out. Besides there were underlying dynamics of the 1918 flu that are not present today.

[vbhoutex]

One important factor you seem to forget is how much better our medical capabilities are now than they were in 1918. Don't get me wrong I am very concerned about the Swine Flu and the upcoming "regular" flu season, but I have to disagree with you on how poorly it is being handled, especially since you manage to leave out the fact that the CDC and flu vaccine manufacturers are and have been working non-stop to keep ahead of the problem.

[GoGoGop]

One important factor you seem to forget is how much better our medical capabilities are now than they were in 1918. Don't get me wrong I am very concerned about the Swine Flu and the upcoming "regular" flu season, but I have to disagree with you on how poorly it is being handled, especially since you manage to leave out the fact that the CDC and flu vaccine manufacturers are and have been working non-stop to keep ahead of the problem.

The truth is most hospitals don't have very many ventilators. People really sick with swine flu need ventilators to survive or they perish. During the peak of swine flu - probably in september - hospitals will quickly become overrun and people may die because they cannot get ventilator access. Our modern health care system is not set up for lots and lots of very sick patients all at one time. There will probably people who die because they could not get help. Overrun hospitals also mean people die from other things because the hospitals were too full. They will probably have to get the military to set-up separate facilities to house the flu patients or something this fall. The CDC and WHO are doing a good job but they have said a vaccine is not expected until the end of October at the earliest. There are working extremely hard and doing everything possible but they are not ahead of the problem because the problem is here and its getting worse every day.

[lurkey]

Will you stop panicing people?

[brunota2003]

I'm not worried about the swine flu killing me. I stand a better chance of a car killing me.

Or in this case, this freaking cold or allergies that keeps bothering me >>

[brunota2003]

Even the regular flu kills over 30,000 a year...so I dont see how we could think it'll kill "5,000 or less in 2009"

[cycloneye]

Will you stop panicing people?

Dont worrie anymore.

[lurkey]

Will you stop panicing people?

Dont worrie anymore.

LOL *thwaps spellcheck on iPod touch*

[fthomp2]

Sad situation in Buffalo - Mom of 15-year-old warns parents to be vigilant. Another 9-year-old is critical in Buffalo.
http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S989162.shtml?cat=566

We're hearing from the mother of a Buffalo boy who died this weekend after being hospitalized with the Swine Flu.

As we reported last night, family members say Matthew Davis died Saturday night.

He was an eighth grader at Harvey Austin School, and was just 15-years old.

The boy's mother, Lucretia Belton, says he had pneumonia and MRSA as complications from the Swine Flu, and his kidneys failed.

She made this plea to other parents.

“This is no joke, this is really, really, really serious. Please get your kids, any kind of sign, get them there, don't wait until we get this far like my baby.”

A 9-year-old girl in Buffalo is also in the hospital in critical condition with the Swine Flu.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Saw my son in Saskatoon (one of the first areas hit by the swine flu in my province).....his co-workers kids were diagnosed with the swine flu and a little later on he was sick with a fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat. Now he just has the runny nose but we won't know if he had it for sure or not since Saskatchewan is no longer testing for H1N1 (unless one is sick enough to be hospitalized).

I wish he had told us before we went to visit him. However, given the number that haven't gotten very sick (re other flues) I think we will probably be fine (and a little extra immunity may not hurt).

[HurricaneBill]

Will you stop panicing people?

[funster]

Healthy women (30) dies of it
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... a_mystery/

[abajan]

Barbados Update: We have just confirmed our 5th case of the virus.

[funster]

30-year-old pregnant Florida woman dies of it
http://www.wesh.com/health/19836231/detail.html

[brunota2003]

Altamonte Springs? Gf lives there