Latest Swine Flu Reports

Posted by Greg Laden on April 28, 2009
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While it is still true that no deaths have been reported for the new swine flu outside of Mexico, the virus has been identified in additional countries.

Here is the current breakdown:

  • Mexico: Over 1,000 unconfirmed cases; 152 suspected deaths – 20 confirmed cases
  • US: 51 confirmed cases
  • Canada: 6 confirmed cases
  • New Zealand: 3 confirmed cases
  • United Kingdom: 2 confirmed cases
  • Spain: 2 confirmed cases
  • Israel: 2 confirmed cases
  • Spain: 2 confirmed cases
  • Suspected cases are reported in about seven other countries.

Do no assume that we are seeing a spread of the disease as much as we are seeing a spread of data, increasing knowledge and confirmation of cases. In other words, the above list does not constitute an epidemiological analysis. However, over the next few days (or maybe a week or two) we might expect the experts to be able to characterize the pattern and to provide a better idea of what we are seeing.

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Comments

  1. #1 Jason Thibeault
    April 28, 2009

    I hear Israel is petitioning to have it renamed to Mexican Flu now that it’s showed up in their country. I wish I was joking, but I’m not.

    http://www.livenews.com.au/livewire/swine-flu-becomes-mexican-flu-for-jewish-state/2009/4/27/204345

  2. #2 IceFarmer
    April 28, 2009

    I read about the proposed renaming because it offended Jewish and Islamic religious sensibilities. They want to rename it the Mexican flu to make it less offensive (but no one can be sure it originated in Mexico so I find that biased and possibly leading to racial discrimination against Mexicans). The fact that people are dying because of a virus created by God seems not to offend anyone though. What a bunch of crap. You’d think that people would have better, more productive things to do.

  3. #3 timmyone
    April 28, 2009

    Antihistamines for cure?

    CDC is saying older anti-viral drugs do not work and a Mexican doctor in bbc website saw his two interns die despite they having vaccines and anti-viral medications. So I have one question about this swine flu:

    Let’s say this swine flu causes your immune system to go overdrive (cytokine storm?) and people die because basically one huge allergic overreaction of their immune systems.

    Would simply taking ANTIHISTAMINES (used against allergies) or similar drugs prevent that? Now this flu seems to hit healthy 20-30-40 year olds…just a thought. Any doctors out there care to comment?

  4. #4 IceFarmer
    April 28, 2009

    I was reading that it’s not so much the flu that kills but that it can lead to pneumonia and the deaths have all been Mexican related thus far while those infected in more developed nations are being treated and not seeing any deaths (yet). I briefly skimmed the article because I’m working so my facts could be off.

  5. #5 mk
    April 28, 2009

    @Jason,

    It’s not “Israel” that wants to change the name. It is an ultra-orthodox Jewish Health Minister who wants to. The Israeli Foreign Ministry told Mexico’s Ambassador they have no intention of changing the name.

  6. #6 chezjake
    April 28, 2009

    @ timmyone

    First, that “BBC report” has not been documented by anyone.

    Two, cytokine storm is usually treated with corticosteroids, but that would only be a part of hospital treatment of anyone severely infected with the swine flu virus.

  7. #7 Jason Thibeault
    April 28, 2009

    You’re right mk… fell for that mental trap where the vocal minority paints your view of the country’s government, and sentiment in general. It’s not that I honestly believed all of Israel was crying out for this, but rather that the only news I heard was from the “ultra-religious” side, without the more rational counterpoint to offset it.

    And yet I consistently avoided painting all Americans with the ultra-right-wing brush even though they’re always the ones making international headlines due to some retardery or another; possibly because Canada’s so close to the States, we speak the same language, and we therefore see more of your media and can tell the difference between the zealots in power and the level-headed ones in power.

    Too bad the ridiculous and the rational aren’t reported in equal measure and labelled appropriately. But that’s not how the media works. Grab the most outlandish bullet point and run with it, it sells more copy.

  8. #8 Monica
    April 28, 2009

    Michele Bachmann on swine flu.
    http://www.startribune.com/local/43908827.html

    Me=speechless.