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Swine flu (aka H1N1)

Started by Warbird, April 29, 2009, 10:36:14 AM

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Warbird

So, anybody around here actually had this flu or know someone who has?  How bad is it?  Seems to me like we aren't getting the entire story.  The news this morning said we have had the first flu related death in the US (in Texas). 

beenthere

Seems they don't want to tell too much, but in WI they are looking closely at anyone who has returned from Mexico.
That is a clue to me.

Border hoppers and illegals come to mind as well as the Mexico vacationers. Those people can spread around this North America pretty fast.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

jeffreythree

They said for most it is milder than the normal flu, but it hits 25-40 year olds the hardest.  They have the strongest immune response and the body destroys its own throat and lungs.  I don't know anybody that has it, but I work all over TX, OK, and AR with customer facing people(ie lots of exposure); so I hope I am not the one bringing it home :-\.
Trying to get out of DFW, the land of the $30,000 millionaires.  Look it up.

Restoman

I just went to a Mexican taqueria here in Shreveport, all of 10 miles from Texas, okay.  I go in to order and he ask my "pork or steak" yeah right, STEAK.

ADAMINMO

From my understanding , you can't get it from eating pork . Only from contact with a person that has it or from contact with a pig that is carring the virus. I dont know what the big uproar is all about.  About 36000 people in the US die each year from the regular flu and that dont seem to get the media attention??? Go figure. I guess it is because they dont have a vaccination for it.

Jeff

I think its another case of media hype. There has been no big story lately so they need to create one. Like Adam says, influenza kills thousands and thousands every year.  I had what I guess was the flu severely most of march.  There was days I wished I would die and didn't, so I ain't going to worry about the piggy version.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Modat22

reason this one has the attention is because there is no natural human immunity to it yet, and it likes the 20 to 40 year old crowd. Probably this strain will cause less problem per infection but the potential number of infections go way up which means more problems.

Thats what I think anyway.
remember man that thy are dust.

Ron Wenrich

Right now, the only ones that really should be concerned are those in government.  They're the ones that should be getting ready whatever they need as a preparation.  But, politicians love to attract attention and show everyone how good of job they're doing.   I think closing schools and the like is an overreaction for the amount of cases that have cropped up...91 at this time.  The only US death is a 23 month old boy who came is Mexican. 

We had a bout of swine flu back in the '70s.  Back then, the vaccine killed more people than the actual disease.

I think my byline says it all. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Restoman

So eating pork is okay?  I trust you guys here better than any media outlet. 

pigman

You cannot get swine flu from eating pork. Back in the eighties when I was in the pig business, it cost be thousands because of the lowered consumption of pork on the false rumor that people could get swine flu from eating pork. I am glad I am not in the business now.
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

WH_Conley

Bob, I have an old overgrown field, reckon it would be a good time to buy some piggys and put in it?
Bill

SwampDonkey

Governments are working at making a name change. You can't get the disease from eating pork. I think China and the Philippines are banning NA pork imports and there is no basis. I agree with you guys on the hype. Here in Canada we have a handful of cases, many have fully recovered from very mild cases. None here in New Brunswick and I don't think Maine has any cases either. The NB health authority is giving daily updates.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

David Freed

In every news report I have heard they say you can't get it from eating pork. I don't understand why so many people think you can get it from eating pork. It's the flu, not food poisoning. Nobody has ever caught the flu from eating anything. I agree with Adam and Jeff. The government and media are blowing it way out of proportion.

Raider Bill

I'm putting it to the test, Just ate 2 big thick pork chops with drippin's  milk gravy. LAbel from store said product of mexico.

If you don't hear from me tomorrow Good luck guys ::)
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

SwampDonkey

I have a pork chop ready to cook up for tomorrow's dinner.  ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Slabs

I just wanna know what our new President/(cabinet) is doing with his "Other" hand.
Slabs  : Offloader, slab and sawdust Mexican, mill mechanic and electrician, general flunky.  Woodshop, metal woorking shop and electronics shop.

moonhill

The one death here in the States was a 2 year old Mexican boy who came here for medical attention. 

Yes, what is the other hand doing? 

Tim
This is a test, please stand by...

Ron Wenrich

I heard Neal Boortz say that since you can't call it swine flu, he's going to start to refer to it as the Mexican flu.   :D
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Onthesauk

Get "The Great Influenza" by John M. Barry.  Very good history of the pandamic  of 1918 and a pretty good history of medical care in the US.  Key thing in my mind is that no one knows how it's going to mutate or what it's going to do.  All speculation.
John Deere 3038E
Sukuki LT-F500

Don't attribute irritating behavior to malevolence when mere stupidity will suffice as an explanation.

Brucer

Summarized from various items from CBC news:

It's a never-before-seen strain of influenza, a mix of pig, human and bird viruses — scientifically it's part of the Type A/H1N1 family of influenza viruses. The incubation period of this strain appears to be two to seven days (typical of influenza).

It's impossible to get pig strains of influenza from food.

Roughly 19,000 people travel between Canada and Mexico during an average week in April. There's 19 confirmed cases in Canada as of now, which puts this somewhat into perspective.

The first three cases in British Columbia were visiting Mexico. Two have recovered and the third is on the mend. No hospital stays required. Three new cases have surfaced in BC. Two were visitors to Mexico, the third was in contact with one of the other cases. All are on the mend.

The Texas death, as already mentioned here, was a Mexican young boy who was visiting in the US with his family. No other family members show symptoms as of today. Health officials in Texas have pointed out (quite rightly) that anyone in the US who becomes severely ill will likely be sent to a major hospital. This will give the incorrect impression that the worst cases are occurring in cities.

Finally, here's a couple of CBC links that you might find interesting. First, a regularly updated timeline, with the most recent information first.
  http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/29/f-flu-timeline.html
Next, a world map that pinpoints the number of cases in each region.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/27/f-swine-flu-map.html

A few personal comments ...

The big concern is that there is no natural immunity in the population, so it could affect a lot of people in a very sort time. Real influenza (not one of those cold-like bugs we call the "flu") pretty much knocks you flat for a week to 10 days. If the disease spreads rapidly, you could have large segments of the population down and out for a week, which can disrupt business, schools, health care, transportation, etc.

People dumb enough to try to stay active in spite of being sick may find themselves hospitalized with pneumonia -- or dead.

Flu shots aren't going to do any good because there's no vaccine for this strain. You can't make a vaccine if you haven't encountered the virus before. Recent findings suggest that anti-viral drugs become ineffective very quickly if they are used too often (e.g., Tamiflu). So if this turns out to be a mild flu, best to save the high-powered drugs in case something really deadly comes along.

I think health and government authorities are being prudent right now. Keep a close watch on the situation, be prepared to take drastic measures in a hurry, but don't panic.

As for the media ... there's a fine line between keeping the public informed and creating a "story".
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

ely

so much for the pig roast.huh ;D

StorminN

My girlfriend and I were just in southern Mexico for 16 days, and flew home last Tuesday... through the Mexico City airport, where we had a couple of hour layover. We were then on a plane for four hours, with 200 people from Mexico City, on a flight to Phoenix. So far, we have no symptoms. First incubation period I heard was 3-5 days, then yesterday someone said 5-10 days. We're on day eight.

Last Tuesday, no one in Mexico City airport was talking about flu... no signs, no one wearing masks, no nothing. I heard that all changed by Friday.

My Dad lives in southern Mexico (Chiapas), he retired down there 13 years ago or so. He is a ways (20+ hour bus ride?) from Mexico City, but I've been talking to him the past few days and he says where he is, all the schools are closed, all public and municipal buildings are closed, churches are closed, people are watching masses on TV instead... soccer games are just the teams playing, no fans in the stands at all. He says anyone that works with the public in his town... any sort of store or anything, they are all wearing masks. The closest reported cases to him are now four people in Tuxtla, a city about an hour away from him. He said in Mexico City, they have even closed all the restaurants, the streets are pretty deserted. This is in a city of 22 million+ people (New York City is about 8 million+, by comparison)... pretty crazy.

-N.
Happiness... is a sharp saw.

Faron

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

DanG

I wonder how many of the cases have actually been determined to be swine flu, or are they just assuming that everybody who gets sick has it?  Maybe they have salmonella from eating Florida tomatoes or peanut butter. ::)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Ironmower

Like pop used too say "what don't kill ya, will make you stronger" I have enough too worry about already ;)
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