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The swine flu


Lantzen

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Start spreading the panic, barricade yourself in you're home. Let's discuss the swine flu, is it the new Bird flu? Or will it be even worse?

 

Some information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_flu

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

 

And a very intresting map where you can see all the known outbreaks

http://pigflumap.com/

It's almost scary how many more plops there are today, since yesterday it have atleast doubled. I hope no one you know have been infected, but since this is a forum with many nationalities the chance is there is. Im myself is a little worried about my brother and his family, they currently live in Auckland and there are many cases there

 

And to be a little inappropriate, spread you own swine flu

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I don't know abut you guys, but I'm stockpiling resources as we speak, and squirelling them away in my nuclear shelter for when the pandemic really hits. and also for when the sea rises above my head, people start fighting over the last scraps of food when the world economy collapses and for when a snowball survives a night in hell.

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I remember the influenza scare years ago that never materialized. I think it was the flu... something about some super-strain of the flu that was supposed be a pandemic...

 

Not saying this isnt, or could not become serious... just saying. Media blows everything out of porportion. Five news stations reporting on the same case, airing all day at separate times makes it sound like their are five cases instead of one.

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OK, let's clarify before everyone panics.

a. this variant of swine flu milder than other flu straings

b. Pandemic means it's reached international in terms of scope of incidents, it has nothing to do with the severity of the pathogen itself.

you cant say that! the thing might mutate!

 

and i *know* thats for sure. coz thats what the guy with the fake mustache selling the masks told me. *panic*

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To quote myself from the Senate.

 

I don't see much to get overly worried about at the moment. Every case outside Mexico is only displaying mild symptoms.

 

Only a handful of deaths have been confirmed as Swine Flu - I doubt it's coincidence that 80 other people just died like that, but it's entirely possible that not all the deaths so far have been caused by Swine Flu.

 

We also haven't been told exactly how many of the cases in Mexico have been diagnosed properly. 1,600 is just the 'suspected' cases, not confirmed. It's entirely possible that fear is driving the number of 'suspected' cases up, as anyone with a sniffle is overcome with paranoia.

 

Many news outlets have theorised that it may be a regional element that's causing the fatalities, as it mixes with the swine flu. I'm not sure I believe it, but the lack of fatalities outside of Mexico is surely a good sign, at least for now.

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Well according to swedish newspaper there are now 180 death cases that may be connected to the swine flu. Probaly most of them ain't, but the number have climed pretty muuch since yesterday when it was around 80 cases that may have been connected to it. And i know that the newspapper is always exaggerate things like this, so im not panicing just yet :p

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Sorry Moel but True's one has more realistic arms... so True's wins! :xp:

 

My arms look like that... just a lil photoshop... a few gallons of HGH...

 

Seriously though, I would really almost like to see a real epic pandemic just because the news has cautioned us so many times and tried to scare us to death with exaggerations. This thing will blow over and the media will find some other crisis to focus on. Come on Captain Trips...

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I don't know abut you guys, but I'm stockpiling resources as we speak, and squirelling them away in my nuclear shelter for when the pandemic really hits. and also for when the sea rises above my head, people start fighting over the last scraps of food when the world economy collapses and for when a snowball survives a night in hell.

 

I would prefer to die than live in a shelter for the rest of my life. :xp: Although if I could choose, I would prefer to be taken by waves than flu. :D

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Did a little HW.......

 

Remember how built up SARS was?

 

:dozey:

 

I have to agree. I remember that and how much I mocked it after hearing about it for 1 week ad nauseum. Nothing coming up.

 

H5N1 bird flu? What's up on this?

 

It's all bull****.

 

 

To quote myself from the Senate.

 

Nothing like hearing yourself talk, eh Astor? :xp:

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Did a little HW.......

 

 

 

I have to agree. I remember that and how much I mocked it after hearing about it for 1 week ad nauseum. Nothing coming up.

 

H5N1 bird flu? What's up on this?

 

It's all bull****.

 

 

 

 

Nothing like hearing yourself talk, eh Astor? :xp:

 

I think if you take a look at history, organizations have a right to take precautionary steps in order to prevent a pandemic from occurring, especially a dangerous one, and the media reporting on it is even better as it helps to warn others of the symptoms and such.

 

I'd love to avoid another "Spanish flu," if possible.

 

Better safe than sorry imo.

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The bird flu, had it gone epidemic, would have been extremely serious. The mortality rate is much higher. This current version of swine flu is pretty mild in comparison. The measures taken to contain bird flu were very appropriate. We were very lucky that it didn't become pandemic.

 

While we shouldn't go nuts about the swine flu, it's appropriate for the media to report on it to some degree. There are plenty of people who are on chemotherapy, have HIV, are taking medicines that suppress their immune systems, have cardiac or respiratory problems, or are very young or old and have inadequate immune defenses as a result, and they and their caretakers need to be informed. This subset of the population needs to be kept up to date on the situation so that they can take the extra precautions they may need because of their health status.

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There are plenty of people who are on chemotherapy, have HIV, are taking medicines that suppress their immune systems, have cardiac or respiratory problems, or are very young or old and have inadequate immune defenses as a result, and they and their caretakers need to be informed. This subset of the population needs to be kept up to date on the situation so that they can take the extra precautions they may need because of their health status.

 

I agree, but thus far, all we've heard is that many of those who have died were previously healthy 20-50 year olds.

 

But, checking the news as i've woken up, there have still been no fatalities outside of Mexico, and the two confirmed cases in Scotland have now making good recoveries.

 

Could it be down the level of Healthcare in Mexico? Or is it increasingly looking like some regional catalyst is causing the deaths?

 

I know the conspiracy theorists are having fun coming up with reasons why (such as the CIA are doing it to prevent immigration. :rolleyes:

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Could it be down the level of Healthcare in Mexico? Or is it increasingly looking like some regional catalyst is causing the deaths?

 

The virus certainly seems to be very mild; it seems that most people outside of Mexico are simply coming down with normal flu symptoms, which are awful things to live with for a few weeks but (for most people) nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, people seem to be associating "pandemic" with "Armageddon", which I'm given to understand is not entirely accurate.

 

The thing we do have to bear in mind is what Professor John Oxford was talking about on Radio 4's Today Programme: that this virus appears to be highly spreadable and if it should manage to find its way to south-east Asia it could form a recombinant strain with our ol' pal H5N1. A virus with the virulence of H5N1 and the ease of transmission of H1N1 is not something we really want to see but it is a possibility.

 

Keep calm and carry on, I say...

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