Sunday, May 10, 2009
Here is the latest news on the H1N1 swine flu from the World Health Organization (WHO) as of May 10, 2009.
As you can see from the map, cases of H1N1 swine flu are continuing to spread at an alarming rate. 29 countries have officially reported 4379 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.
Mexico has reported 1626 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 45 deaths. The United States has reported 2254 laboratory confirmed human cases in 44 states, including two deaths. Canada has reported 280 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Argentina (1), Australia (1), Austria (1), Brazil (6), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (12), Germany (11), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (9), Japan (4), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (7), Panama (3), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (93), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (39).
The latest American death from the H1N1 swine flu was a Washington state man in Snohomish county. He died from complications of swine flu, health officials announced Saturday.
Oddly, WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the global outbreak and they haven’t raised the threat level to Phase 6 — the highest and a marker of pandemic status.
From the Left 
The attention span of the mainstream media is worse than someone with ADD. They’re all but stopped covering this important story and instead are lavishing praise on themselves for last night’s Washington correspondents dinner. I mean really, this happens each year and tell me again, how is it relevant to my life and my family?
The flu is always worse in the winter.
I am more alarmed if the swine flu makes another
appearance beginning in December and merges
with regular flu. This could be a catastrophe.
I heard the venerable Dr. Sanjay Gupta breathlessly announce upon his courageous return from the frontlines in Mexico that the “swine flu outbreak looks to be winnowing.”
Winnowing? WTF is winnowing? He’s a doctor and he’s making predictions about a pandemic now in 29 countries?
I guess AOL/Time Warner gave him his U.S. Federal government talkingpoints. What a clown.
Thanks for the update. I know you can’t “do” swine flu coverage 24/7 so I appreciate the new numbers and data. Like Adirondacky said, I guess the MSM has decided the worst is over and they don’t want to mention the epidemic again. That is irresponsible.
Many school districts across the country are closing now for summer so there won’t be the reports of flu-related closures reported in the media. This isn’t to say the swine flu outbreak has run its course. If anything, the NIH needs to be focused on a safe and effective vaccine before the winter flu season.
Nan Yun: You make an interesting point. The 1918 pandemic started relatively mildly and got big time nasty in the Fall.