Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential'

[beast]

Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential'

By MARK STEVENSON – 26 minutes ago

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A new swine flu strain that has killed as many as 68 people and sickened more than 1,000 across Mexico has "pandemic potential," the World Health Organization chief said Saturday, and it may be too late to contain the sudden outbreak.

The disease has already reached Texas and California, and with 24 new suspected cases reported Saturday in Mexico City alone, schools were closed and all public events suspended in the capital until further notice — including more than 500 concerts and other gatherings in the metropolis of 20 million.

A hot line fielded 2,366 calls in its first hours from frightened city residents who suspected they might have the disease. Soldiers and health workers handed out masks at subway stops, and hospitals dealt with crowds of people seeking help.

The World Health Organization's director-general, Margaret Chan, said the outbreak of the never-before-seen virus is a very serious situation and has "pandemic potential." But she said it is still too early to tell if it would become a worldwide outbreak.

"The situation is evolving quickly," Chan said in a telephone news conference in Geneva. "A new disease is by definition poorly understood."

This virus is a mix of human, pig and bird strains that prompted WHO to meet Saturday to consider declaring an international public health emergency — a step that could lead to travel advisories, trade restrictions and border closures. Spokesman Gregory Hartl said a decision would not be made Saturday.

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Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gzz357patY4-QaJFvo9O95zMM_EQD97PLN881

[beast]

it looks like those kids in NY most likely have swine flu

i think WHO should up the alert level now.

why wait till it's too late

abundance of caution and all that stuff.

it's H to H
it's international
it has a pretty high mortality rate so far
MSM is always behind the curve on this stuff

I think people need to follow their gut instinct on this one

and question everything

[flame nli]

and be cautious, yup..

the problem being, what is the incubation time of this particular flu and it probably is already way too late.

[beast]

it is too late

i think it was too late last tuesday when we first started to hear of it.

i decided to stay somewhat isolated this weekend. i'm going out later to fill up on drinking water and cat food. That will be my people contact for the weekend.


i don't know about the rest of the country, but the kids here have been on easter vacation for the past  2 weeks.
 they are supposed to go back to school monday.

maybe they shouldn't.

An unusual new flu virus has spread widely and cannot be contained, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed on Saturday.

"It is clear that this is widespread. And that is why we have let you know that we cannot contain the spread of this virus," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters on a conference call.

The strain of swine flu is suspected of killing as many as 68 people in Mexico and infecting more than 1,000 more, including eight in the United States. (Reporting by Maggie Fox, editing by Patricia Zengerle)

[beast]

and be cautious, yup..

the problem being, what is the incubation time of this particular flu and it probably is already way too late.

1 to 3 days