Here is a factoid as to why some of us are worried about flu and mexico

[nadinbrzezinski]

what usually happens during the Influenza season and the month of April?

Usually infections crash

I was down there last week and I did notice the articles in the paper that this year the usual pattern had not repeated. In fact, they were getting a spike and were recommending people get a booster to the vaccine... and were officially spooked

It was one of those.... hmmm weird stories

So if you have that blase attitude, congrats


I can't

That said I do hope the measures taken by the Mexican Government will stop this... never mind that with the numbers of passengers leaving from the Mexico City airport to all points, we may have a series of patient zero all over

You may want to review what patient zero means

That is all

[Hanse]

1. OK, I'll stock up the fallout shelter now.

Tang. Shotgun shells. 1960s Playboy backissues. Pipboys.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. And this is a classic reaction....

:-)

Fear has a weird way of acting in the human brain

[Hanse]

3. Oh sure.

I still have my duct tape and plastic sheeting up.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Good, we all know we have to keep them in business

problem is... those will not stop these buggers

Try washing hands

Far more effective

[Joe the Revelator]

33. Why take such a silly attitude towards something that could be serious?

I mean 100 people are already dead, 75 people could have it in NYC, yet you want to act like Bobby Tough-Guy. You sound like a Global Warming denier.

[1]

5. none of these bad things ever come from produce from mexico...

or anything from china.


the governments of mexico and china always have our best interests at heart. they have our backs. and they will always protect us.

there is no need for any of us to worry...

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. This has nothing to do with the mexican government

but I am sure you knew that

Unnecessary swipe

By the way, why do you think they sent samples to CDC and have WHO on the ground?

[1]

7. "That said I do hope the measures taken by the Mexican Government will stop this... "

your words. not mine.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. If this is the expected pandemic

this is very hard to stop

And this would be the case if this was in the US by the by

You do know a school in NYC is testing 75 kids, don't you?

[1]

13. "You do know a school in NYC is testing 75 kids, don't you?"

well yay! for those 75 kids.

i'm more worried about the rest of us.

you know?

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Of course you are

very concerned indeed... really NOT

After all who cares if some people in mexico die :sarcasm: as long as we are all fine

And given the first cases were in border states on the US side of the border...

Yep, you got it

As usual it will take detective work to find out where exactly this started.

1918 took months to find out... that the patient zero were at Ft Riley Kansas

[Name removed]

21. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NoSheep]

31. Do you have any idea how to have a resonable discussion with someone?

[Control-Z]

12. Our best interests

have little to do with this. Mexico has their own problems to worry about. The outbreak is there, possibly headed here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. We have early clusters in California, Arizona and texas

trying to track this right now as to see if there are any more

[backscatter712]

8. I'm still not having dreams of walkin' dudes or elderly black women...

This bug can't be that bad...

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. It has, so far, a higher death rate than the 1918 influenza

bug... that killed 100 million people

I am sure the 68 folks who are already dead, would like a second opinion

[backscatter712]

11. Doesn't compare to Captain Trips though...

;)

[Maru Kitteh]

25. Thank God I'm not a virgin with a fancy for very rare steak after the end of the world as we know it

Then I'd be super skeered.


All kidding aside? It's a concern. But I'm not going to get worked up about it just yet.

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. Well not getting worked up over it

but following epydemology maps is kind of a hobby of mine

And I got the first warnings from the usual suspects a while ago (1996) first time I ever heard, BIRD FLU.. and H5... whatever it was back then strain

:-)
Now it will be time to be more than just concerned when the metro stops running

Common sense things one can do are easy

Wash hands... wash them some more.... don't kiss people, wash hands... did I mention wash hands?

And of course don't hang around sick people.... and stay home if sick

And if things start to look like they are more serious... stock up and get ready for that wonderful housing quarantine

:-)

[Maru Kitteh]

34. All good advice.

I'm still glad I'm not a virgin in a Stephen King novel, even if I do die.

The timing of this is a bit more than a bit of an alarm bell, but as with all other strains the question of the day is, ordinary antigenic drift or antigenic shift? Only time will tell.

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Exactly... why I actually started my own map

bad tool but used the best I had

I may just down right print a map, period and use nice colored pencils

:-)

[EFerrari]

16. I'm sort of worried about my mom in San Jose.

She's a tough cookie but in her mid 70s and how she's managed to live that long taking no kind of care of herself is a mystery to me. She moves around in the community and there is a lot of coming and going there, if you know what I mean.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. I know exactly what you mean

and so far this is affecting the same population that the 1918 pandemic affected, that is the young..

So if this follows the same pattern you and I are at a greater risk than your aging parents

[EFerrari]

20. Why were younger people at greater risk? Because they

were exposed to more or bigger germ pools?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

22. One theory is that their stronger immune systems caused an autoimmune reaction

Makes as much sense as anything else.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Well the autoimmune response is real

won't get technical, but essentially they went into overdrive and drowned

And this is exactly what we are starting to see

[Maru Kitteh]

30. Do we know anything about virulence or mortality rates yet?

My only two great concerns thus far are

1. Under-reporting in under-served Mexico
2. Tis not the season.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. Tis not the season, you are right

and so far it is close to 6%

65 out of 800 or so

As to underreporting, they have gone into mandatory reporting both positive and negative for all hospitals, private, public, does not matter

That is kind of draconian in Mexico, by the by

They have forty cases that they are not sure, testing underway

and they should have ...closed the damn airport

They are also monitoring all outgoing pasengers at the airport... they should have closed it down...

Oh never mind

[Maru Kitteh]

36. We probably wouldn't have closed the airport. Hell, we wouldn't have tested the outgoing passengers

Wouldn't want to offend anybody, you know?

I appreciate the concern about the air travel, and you could slow them down but substantial numbers would quickly find a way around it as the situation stands now.

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. I know we wouldn't

it is the proper public health response once you have something like this

But not the proper political and economic response...

And I would have gotten stuck back home with parents and nephews...

:-)

Been to this dance as a health care worker...

Many of the real bad gallows humor came back today... most of them jokes are not proper for DU or anywhere else, save front line medics

[Maru Kitteh]

42. Well, we do walk a line. Knowledge of the possible vs. the probable

I'm no fan of neglect, but there's little I can do other than remain vigilant - so I will wait for the needle to peg a little more before I invest truly serious concern.

Of course, I'm freely floating on the back of you and others like you - and I'm very grateful that you are keeping track of the situation. :toast:

Thanks.

[Control-Z]

46. What about the border?

The number that go through the border daily, right into our southern cities. Day workers who cross over daily. Americans returning.

edit to add: I've heard some reports that say the flu actually started in the states - Texas. Why the outbreak in Mexico first? Is it because of better medical care here in the states, sterile environs, more information, less crowded living conditions? Or is it just fluke?

[nadinbrzezinski]

53. We had cases in the states first

and the border is a problem

It will take a medical detective to find out

Remember it took over six months of careful work to find the spanish influenza started at Ft Riley Kansas

[Control-Z]

54. I'm not sure that is hasn't been here

for a while. I say this because I had the flu early last month. I've only had the flu something like 3 times in my life, and this one was bad. My daughter and I were in bed for two full weeks. Seriously down with heavy respiratory symptoms for the two weeks and then another few weeks of lingering symptoms. Do I have an active imagination, or is it possible that it has taken time to take off?

[Hardrada]

23. Pale Horse, Pale Rider

[Maru Kitteh]

40. Ooooh, as long as he brings THIS:

[shanti]

18. not to mention

that it was spring break a couple of weeks ago. LOTS of tourists in mexico. :(

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Yep, one of them is even the President of the United States

another the secretary of state

Hey, at least they have healthcare

:-)

Oh before i forget her, the DHS chief too...

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Not too happy with this spread map

but hey, the best I can do right now

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=cdc%20and%20spread%20map%20for%20swine%20flu&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. World wide map

not the best but hey, the best we can do

http://www.healthmap.org/es

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. and here is California's reaction

yep, I am glad the people in government are taking this seriously

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/schwarzenegger-readies-state-flu-spread-2673798

[seemslikeadream]

35. Thanks nad

:hi:

Did you see the New York school outbreak

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. Yep, started my own map

lets see how many clusters we got and how often they start appearing

Suffice it to say some folks may think this is a joke

Don't think State and Federal Officials think it is

[seemslikeadream]

41. yes I just been accused of crying wolf again

actually I started posting about it because of my thoughts of the victims not hysteria

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. Well ye are in good company

the good folks at the WHO have been crying wolf since oh 1996 (at least)

Most of the time their screaming leads to duds

By the way they've activated their emergency command center

[undergroundpanther]

44. It bothers me too Nadin.

I have had and seen too many coincidences concerning this topic.
The way this story broke and the quick urgency,if Mexico shuts the airport and transit.It's bad shit.

[sfpcjock]

45. Here's what you can do from Whitehouse;

Swine flu information. Also use portable hand-sanitizer when you're out.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/24/Swine-Flu-Information/

[a la izquierda]

47. Hmmm interesting...

Incidentally, I'm happy I'm not there at the moment. My mother leaves in a few weeks for Playa del Carmen. I head back in a few weeks as well, to Mexico City.

I guess the good thing is access to doctors in Mexican cities is probably much better than in the US. Even the very poor have access to doctors-it may not be the best care, but if nothing else, they can receive vaccinations and the like. And, prescriptions are generally much, much cheaper than in the US. I had the horrible misfortune of catching an intestinal parasite in Mexico. I went to a gastroenterologist, it cost me about $30 USD. The three prescriptions cost about $10.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here--I'm trying to remember the details of a conversation I had with a Mexican worker while I was there.

[wuvuj]

48. CDC...

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm


Residents of California and Texas

CDC has identified human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in people in these areas. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases. We have determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, we have not determined how easily the virus spreads between people. As with any infectious disease, we are recommending precautionary measures for people residing in these areas.

* 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 hands cleaners are also effective.

* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

* If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

There is no vaccine available at this time, so it is important for people living in these areas to take steps to prevent spreading the virus to others. If people are ill, they should attempt to stay at home and limit contact with others. Healthy residents living in these areas should take everyday preventive actions.

People who live in these areas who develop an illness with fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, should contact their health care provider. Their health care provider will determine whether influenza testing is needed.

[rcrush]

52. Alcohol Based sanitizers dont work.

The alcohol free ones are better.

[Avalux]

49. Update: Swine flu fears at private school in Queens

The New York City health department dispatched a team of investigators to a private school in Queens on Friday after dozens of students complained of symptoms that officials believed were consistent with a strain of swine flu that has swept Mexico City.

The agency said about 75 students at St. Francis Preparatory School had complained Thursday of nausea, fever, dizziness and aches and pains. Several of the students were said to have recently traveled to Mexico, where as many as 61 people have died and possibly hundreds more have been infected in an outbreak of swine flu in recent weeks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/nyregion/25sick.html?hp

On edit: read through the thread and this has been mentioned.

What gets me - there doesn't seem to be a patient 0. None of the infected had contact with pigs; no link.

[MrsMatt]

50. yes, and the reports that this strain

include swine, human and avian flu virus strains that do not respond to any conventional flu remedies is also very disturbing.

[northernlights]

51. it is sensitive to both tamiflu and relenza

that, of course, could change. But in the meantime, for now it is sensitive to both antivirals.

[mudesi]

55. Usually People Who Worry Whenever This Happens Are Just Hypochondriacs

But I guess you don't want to hear that.