Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a child in Texas is the first U.S. death from the swine flu.
Cases of swine flu have risen to at least 112 and health officials think they may have found “patient zero” in the global outbreak in a small village in the mountains of Mexico.
La Gloria, in the mountains near Veracruz is tucked away off a dusty road flanked by pig farms, is where the earliest case of swine flu was confirmed.
Five-year-old Edgar Hernandez survived the earliest documented case of swine flu in an outbreak that has now spread across four continents.
From the Left 
I can’t say I’m surprised that the first death would be in Texas. Unfortunately, I doubt seriously that our MSM will mention under what conditions (like, oh, a LACK OF ACCESS to healthcare, maybe?) this death occurred.
I heard that this child was an illegal brought across the border by its parents seeking medical care. What a desperate act. Can’t say I blame them. But I wonder what was spread along the way. Everything I hear says something different. But if we are in for disaster, I hope the best for everyone.
4 possible cases in AZ today. So it looks like it might have hit here now.
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It was our pigs, raised for our market by one of our greedy factory-farmers, trying to skirt US health codes, etc. Only a Repukelickin’ could have failed to foresee this. And only a Repuke could blame it on the poor Mexicans they exploit cuz they’re cheaper to exploit than you & me.
The Puke’s all have the right-wing-swine flu.
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There is another death in CA pending labwork confirmation.
Maybe this will shut up the @#$@#$ co worker who said ” what’s the big deal” (152 Mexicans died).
Now that the deaths have crossed the border, maybe she will care???
The big deal, Einstein, is that it is a highly contagious, deadly strain of a virus for which no vaccine currently exists.
91 cases in the U.S. as of this morning.
That’s a five-fold increase from Sunday and all the Federal government says is expect more cases and more deaths. I’m not encouraged. I’m worried.
Two elementary schools have temporarily closed in Portland until they determine if the sickness is swine flu or not.
The results are expected tomorrow or Friday. I heard about a school in Yakima, WA closing yesterday.
This is getting worse — not better.
Phase 5…here we go. I have been activated by FEMA and the Md State government.
Please, this does not have to be a pandemic. STAY HOME if you are sick. Call your doctor. Drink plenty of fluids. Wash your hands frequently. Stop sending your kids to school and day care if they are sick.
Don’t spend time worrying, spend time taking precautions. YOU can prevent yourself from contracting the flu! Wash your hands, stay away from sick people, isolate yourself if you are sick.
4PM update over at watergate summer – in comments- bottem line- WHO just held Conference from Geneva- very serious- Dr.Chan raised the Pandemic Level to FIVE.
4:16 PM Dr.Chan is still taking Questions if you tune it on CNN.
( Sebelius and Napolotano just finished holding their first conference together. also Perry held Conference down in Texas, hospital workers at the Hospital are being checked where the toddler died, he was brought here for care- and was treated at two hospitals. Perry did declare disaster in Texas.)
And Everything Josh said is True…( I used to work disasters with FEMA and Red Cross….Please take care and stay home, do get masks now if you can and have ready- limit travel, and also yes, wash hands….and buy antiseptic gel and carry with you.)
We may have to do like Mexico City and “hunker down” for two weeks or so. This means that you may have to stay HOME! This will prevent human to human transmission. This may also seriously impact our economy…but what else can we do?
If you have to go out, limit contact- 5 feet distance, masks help limit droplet spread, avoid gatherings,
do stay home and limit outings, wipe surfaces with contact- ie . ATM, phones etc. Monitor yourself. Any fever cough, or symptoms. etc.
In England and the UK- they are going to allow GP’s to prescribe Tamiflu over phone- and they are discouraging people from going to the ER if symptoms are mild. And then Meds are to be delivered by courier and dropped in mail box- therefore limiting contact. Only to go to ER if Fever is high, chest pain and /or breathing troubles.
Each Country , and counties in effected Country will have to evaluate Closures of schools ,churches, and public settings. Raising the level to Level 5 is an attempt to prevent spread.
This is not a normal flu- normal Flu does not attack the immune system of young people, we need to watch and learn how this effects young people , children and healthy younger adults.
as an RN these are some of my thoughts…
Obama or the state governments should just implement “social isolation maneuvers” and just close all federally funded schools and non-essential employees for 2-3 weeks. It will be hard on the economy, but it would slow or halt the spread of the illness.
Enigma is right. There is a plan in effect. Without saying too much, we can care for the ill, if they listen to the recommendations and limit their contact with others when they are infected.
If everyone who is sick continue to go to work, shopping, etc. we may not have enough medicine for all of them.
We have not taken this serious enough. Learn from this. We CAN prevent this. But not if we don’t listen. Not if we allow this virus to mutate and get stronger.
This is not what was supposed to happen 100 days into the the new president’s administration.
The $1.5 billion Obama requested? Not enough. He asked Congress for nearly $85 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. Why is it that presidents are always so miserly when it comes to a public health disaster?
We as a population always feel invincible. We never plan for the worst and expect that the individual will care or protect themselves. This is a limited and presbyopic view. In public health, even the wealthy get sick if the poor have infectious disease.
When we thought that Iraq or “radical islam” had the small pox virus…we funded the plan to inoculate our troops. We need to take all potential public health emergencies as serious.
Joaquin and Enigma, keep up the good health promotion!
Hopefully raising the Pandemic level will release more Fed Emergency Preparedness Funds and Disaster Funds.
President Obama did today start talking about school closures, so he is definently looking at the situation and trying to prepare people. Perry and Arnie in two of the States effected have declared Emergency- which will allow funds to come and to make decisions that are health driven. ( I am confused why NY has not done this yet ?)
10 States, 91 confirmed cases, and 7 hospitalized as of noon….We all need to watch the Incidence in our states and communicate to each other- as bloggers we can help each other learn and take care of each other just be keeping people calm,educated , prepared and focused.
( thanks chris for letting us dialogue..)
Yes, Chris’ blog has really allowed me to feel that I could help get the PREVENTION information out. Thanks Again!