Fashionable Respitatory Masks

Fashionable respitatory masks



Found at Josh Spear, Trendspotting

Here is some more flu-fashion

And I bet you've seen this commercial by now.

U.S. has 109 confirmed swine flu cases: CDC | Health | Reuters

Reuters: U.S. officials said on Thursday the national total of confirmed H1N1 swine flu cases had risen to 109, but that the country had still only recorded one fatality in the outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website that New York was lead the case tally with 50, while Texas reported 26 and California 14. South Carolina had confirmed 10 new cases, it said.

U.S. has 109 confirmed swine flu cases: CDC | Health | Reuters

Google Flu Trends | Mexico

Google has created experimental estimates of flu activity in Mexico using aggregated search data. Unlike Google Flu Trends for U.S., this data has not been validated against confirmed cases of flu. After conferring with US and Mexican health officials, Google decided to share these initial results to provide additional information on the evolving epidemic.

Google Flu Trends | Mexico

San Francisco Chronicle: San Francisco officials confirm first H1N1 case

photo Koen de Koning

"San Francisco has its first confirmed case of swine flu, a child who recently traveled to Mexico, the city's public health director announced today.

Dr. Mitchell Katz offered few details about the case but said the child is not in school. Mayor Gavin Newsom said the child is recovering."

San Francisco officials confirm first H1N1 case

Swine Flu, A Manufactured Crisis

The H1N1 crisis from an agricultural point of view:

"Let me preface what I’m about to say by telling you that my comments are in no way meant to diminish the grief and suffering of those folks in Mexico who’ve lost loved ones through the influenza situation affecting our continent this week, nor to whitewash the dozens of Americans sickened with the illness.

That being said, “swine flu” is as manufactured a crisis is you can possibly imagine."

ABN Radio, Ohio's Voice for Agriculture: Swine Flu, A Manufactured Crisis

Do You Have Swine Flu?

Indepth survey to test if you have symptoms of H1N1...

Do You Have Swine Flu?

The Latest in the Fight Against H1N1 Flu

As the number of cases continues to grow, federal, state and local public health agencies are adapting their response to the outbreak of H1N1 flu with both on-the-ground and online resources. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has put together a list of what agencies around the country are doing to address the needs of the public and keep them informed.

Public Health Update: The Latest in the Fight Against H1N1 Flu

Audio:
Listen to Jeffrey Levi comments to reporters about swine flu on April 27, 2009.
Listen to the full conference call with reporters on April 27, 2009.

General Instructions for Disposable Respirators

This podcast, by the CDC intended for the general public, demonstrates how to put on and take off disposable respirators that are to be used in areas affected by the influenza outbreak.

The Etymology of A/H1N1

Wikipedia: Influenza A virus strains are categorized according to two viral proteins, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). All influenza A viruses contain hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, but the structure of these proteins differs from strain to strain due to rapid genetic mutation in the viral genome. Influenza A virus strains are assigned an H number and an N number based on which forms of these two proteins the strain contains.

Dutch confirm swine flu case in three year-old

First case of H1N1 in the Netherlands:

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch health authorities have confirmed a first case of swine flu in the Netherlands in a three year-old who had recently returned from Mexico, the health ministry said on Thursday.

The swine flu virus has killed up to 176 people in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak, and the World Health Organisation has raised the official alert level to phase 5, the last step before a pandemic.

Including the Netherlands, 12 countries have now reported cases of the H1N1 strain.

The Dutch case was in a child who had returned from a trip to Mexico on April 27, officials said. The parents, who were not infected with the flu, are to be given preventative medicine.

Spain on Wednesday reported the first case in Europe of swine flu in a person who had not been to Mexico, illustrating the danger of person-to-person transmission.

Both U.S. and European officials have said they expect to see swine flu deaths.

Twitterpanic

ashleyvirus

Ashley
shit the swine flu cases in michigan are now CONFIRMED!!!!! ugh fml i'm going to die!!! #swineflu #h1n1

Reuters: WHO confirms pandemic threat raised to 5

GENEVA (Reuters) - World Health Organization director-general Dr. Margaret Chan raised the pandemic threat awareness level to 5 out of 6 on Wednesday, meaning the world is at imminent risk of a pandemic from H1N1 swine flu.

"I have decided to raise the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5," Chan told a news briefing.

WHO confirms pandemic threat raised to 5 out of 6 | Reuters

Ready for phase 5

Reuters: Sources say WHO likely to increase flu alert to level 5 because "things moving fast" Press briefing in a little over an hour.

BBC: France urges Mexican flight ban

France says it will request an EU-wide ban on all flights to Mexico, source of the swine flu outbreak.

The move follows confirmation of new cases in Germany, Austria, Britain and Spain. Many, if not all, of those infected have recently been to Mexico.

French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said France would push for the flight ban at a meeting of EU health ministers on Thursday.

However World Health Organization (WHO) officials say a ban may be pointless.

BBC NEWS | Europe | France urges Mexican flight ban

BBC: Girl aged 12 contracts swine flu

A 12-year-old Devon girl who recently returned from Mexico is suffering from swine flu, tests have confirmed.

Her school, Paignton Community College in Torbay, is being closed for seven days and pupils in her year are being offered anti-viral treatment.

The girl was described as having mild symptoms and was responding well to treatment.

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Devon | Girl aged 12 contracts swine flu

Reuters: UN agency slams Egypt order to cull all pigs

ROME (Reuters) - Egypt's order on Wednesday to cull all the country's pigs is 'a real mistake' and another reason why the world needs to rethink using 'swine flu' to describe a virus affecting humans, a U.N. agency official said.

Egypt, where pigs are mainly raised by the country's Christian minority, described the order to slaughter the animals as a precautionary measure in a country hard hit by bird flu. Up to 400,000 pigs could be culled, a cabinet spokesman said.

Joseph Domenech, the chief veterinary officer at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation, told Reuters his staff were trying to reach Egyptian authorities to correct any confusion about a virus that has killed humans but not been found in pigs.

Reuters AlertNet - UN agency slams Egypt order to cull all pigs

The Associated Press: WHO says swine flu moving toward pandemic level 5

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says the swine flu outbreak is moving closer to becoming a pandemic.

WHO flu chief Dr. Keiji Fukuda told reporters on Wednesday that developments in the disease are moving the agency closer to raising its pandemic alert to phase 5, indicating widespread human-to-human transmission.

He said the health body was monitoring the situation but was not yet ready to move the pandemic alert level up from its current level of 4, which means it is being passed among people.

Phase 6 is the highest in the scale and is for a full-scale pandemic.

Fukuda said there was no evidence the virus was slowing down.

Associated Press: WHO says H1N1 moving toward pandemic level 5

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 29, 2009, 11:00 AM ET)

States	# of laboratory confirmed cases	Deaths
Arizona	1
California	14
Indiana	1
Kansas	2
Massachusetts	2
Michigan	2
Nevada	1
New York City	51
Ohio	1
Texas	16	1
TOTAL COUNTS	91 cases	1 death
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection See: World Health Organization

Hamish McRae: The worst time to suffer a pandemic

"We know a lot about the impact on economies of health emergencies"

The threat of a global pandemic quite properly instils fear. We know sadly that people in Mexico have died from the present outbreak of swine flu. We know inevitably that the flu will spread, indeed is already spreading, around the world. And we have that folk memory of past pandemics, from the Spanish flu after the First World War back through time to the plagues, the Black Death and beyond. Why do we still say "bless you" when someone sneezes? Because a sneeze was a first sign that someone had caught the plague.

Hamish McRae: The worst time to suffer a pandemic

Egyptians seek 'immediate death' for nation's pigs

CAIRO - Egypt's lower house of parliament called on Tuesday for the nation's 250,000 pigs to be killed immediately because of fears over the spread of swine flu, state news agency MENA reported.

"The People's Assembly urged the government to immediately start culling pigs and not to relocate pig-breeding farms away from residential areas for fear of the spread of swine flu," MENA said.

Egypt's 80-million population consists mainly of Muslims, whose religion forbids them from eating pork, as well as an estimated six to 10 per cent Christian Copts who may eat pig meat.

Egyptians seek 'immediate death' for nation's pigs

WHO called another emergency meeting

According to BNONews, the World Health Organization has called an emergency meeting to discuss the alert status, which could raise it to a pandemic level. There will be a telephone news conference at 4 p.m. GMT, officials tell BNO News.

CNN.Com: First U.S. swine flu death confirmed

Five-year-old Edgar Hernandez, known as 'patient zero' survived the earliest documented case of swine flu.

A two-year-old child in Texas has become the first fatality from swine flu in the United States, officials said Wednesday.

'A child has died from the H1N1 virus,' the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control Dr. Richard Besser told CNN's 'American Morning' on Wednesday. 'As a parent and a pediatrician, my heart goes out to the family.'

The child is the first person to die of swine flu outside of Mexico where the virus has caused more than 159 deaths and roughly 2,500 illnesses."

First U.S. swine flu death confirmed - CNN.com

Pandemic Flu Portal — Integrative Center for Homeland Security

The Integrative Centre for Homeland Security at the Texas A&M University just launched a portal on the pandemic flu.
Here you will find access to news and information from across the nation and around the world
concerning the current swine flu outbreak as well as general information about pandemic flu.

Pandemic Flu Portal — Integrative Center for Homeland Security

Twitterers on Swine Flu

A cartoon from www.xkcd.com

Ars Technica: Understanding the outbreak: an influenza biology primer

"Swine flu, bird flu, H1N1—tracking the influenza virus can be a confusing task, not generally made easier by the fact that most people only attempt to do so when addled by flu symptoms or in the midst of worries about a potential pandemic. We recognize that the latter appears to apply to the current situation, but we'll do our part to try to explain a bit of the biology of the virus. Putting together this explanation was made a bit challenging by the fact that anyone we could find who has detailed knowledge of the influenza virus appears to be busy actually working on the current outbreak.

Swine flu, bird flu, H1N1—tracking the influenza virus can be a confusing task, not generally made easier by the fact that most people only attempt to do so when addled by flu symptoms or in the midst of worries about a potential pandemic. We recognize that the latter appears to apply to the current situation, but we'll do our part to try to explain a bit of the biology of the virus. Putting together this explanation was made a bit challenging by the fact that anyone we could find who has detailed knowledge of the influenza virus appears to be busy actually working on the current outbreak."

Ars Technica - Understanding the outbreak: an influenza biology primer

Pop!Tech 2008: Laurie Garrett on future pandemics

The only author to ever win a Peabody, Polk and Pulitzer, Laurie Garrett has a distinct and extremely well-informed perspective on the failings of our global health system. Here she articulates some critical considerations for increasing the effectiveness of aid to Africa, narrowing the life expectancy gap between the developed and developing worlds, and preventing the spread of future pandemics.

@ Yahoo! Video

SFGate: Politics Blog : Dangers to watch for in swine flu

As the World Health Organization raised the threat level from the swine flu to 4 out of a possible 6, a top expert warned that a big danger is that the virus could combine with a drug-resistant strain of a human flu virus currently in circulation.

Laurie Garrett, a senior fellow in global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, said she is 'very, very worried' that the swine flu virus could link up with the common human flu version called H1N1 that is resistant to the Tamiflu drug.

SFGate: Politics Blog : Dangers to watch for in swine flu

Funny Flu

Getting tired of those facemasks? Get the FunnyFlu!

Interesting H1N1 Swine Flu Influenza heat map

I Found at AnyGeo the link to an interesting H1N1 Swine Flu influenza heat map.
Nice presentation using Microsoft Virtual Earth API

Swine Flu Heat Map

Chicago school forbids students shaking hands

CHICAGO (AP) - Concern about a deadly strain of swine flu has prompted one Chicago school in a largely Hispanic neighborhood to forbid students from shaking hands.

Orozco Community Academy Principal Coralia Barraza also says when parents call to say their children are home sick, school officials are being told to ask more questions about the illness than they typically do.

WREX.com: School taking steps to fight swine flu

AP: WHO raises pandemic flu alert level to phase 4

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico says the World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu by one level, two steps short of declaring a full-blown pandemic

Mexico health department spokesman Carlos Olmos confirms the move.

WHO says the phase 4 alert means sustained human to human transmission causing outbreaks in at least one country. It signals a significant increase in the risk of a global epidemic, but doesn't mean a pandemic is inevitable.

Associated Press: WHO raises pandemic flu alert level to phase 4

AFP: First two cases of swine flu in Britain confirmed by health minister

LONDON (AFP) — Two people admitted to a Scottish hospital after travelling to Mexico have been confirmed as the first cases of swine flu in Britain, Scottish Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday.

'I can confirm that tests have demonstrated conclusively that the two Scottish cases of swine flu are positive,' she said, adding that the two confirmed patients were recovering quickly.

'I am pleased to say that both individuals are recovering well in hospital.'

AFP: First two cases of swine flu in Britain confirmed by health minister

The Irish Times: WHO considers raising alert level

The World Health Organisation could raise its pandemic alert level as a deadly swine flu outbreak spreads from continent to continent, a spokesman said today.

Gregory Hartl, speaking on a media teleconference as an emergency committee of experts met in Geneva to review the pandemic alert level, also said work to produce a vaccine against the virus had begun.

The current WHO phase of pandemic alert is 3.

The Irish Times: WHO considers raising alert level

Bloomberg: BA, Air China, AMR Fall on Concern Over Swine Flu

Bloomberg: "British Airways Plc fell the most since 2001 and Air China Ltd. had the biggest drop in six months as airline stocks worldwide tumbled on concern that an outbreak of swine flu in Mexico will depress travel demand."

British Airways, Air China, AMR Fall on Concern Over Swine Flu - Bloomberg.com

Evening Standard: Killer flu: don't fly to the United States

"Britons were urged today not to go to the United States or Mexico amid fears that a virulent strain of swine flu could spark a global crisis.

European authorities advised against any 'non-essential travel' after an emergency meeting of health officials."

Evening Standard: Killer flu: don't fly to the United States

Telegraph: Spain confirms first case in Europe

Madrid - A 23-year-old man who returned from a trip to Mexico last week was found to have the virus, according to a statement released by Spain's Health Ministry on Monday morning.

The man was put under observation on Saturday after complaining of chest problems, the minister of health, Trinidad Jimenez, told a hastily convened news conference.

Telegraph - Swine flu: Spain confirms first case in Europe

HealthMap | Global disease alert map

HealthMap | Global disease alert map

Wall Street Journal: US Stock drops on swine flu worries

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stock futures dropped on Monday as the outbreak of deadly swine flu stirred up worries that a possible recovery in the global economy could be derailed.

S&P 500 futures slumped 13.5 points to 853.10 and Nasdaq futures fell 21.5 points to 1353.50. Dow industrials futures fell 116 points.

Though U.S. stocks closed Friday's session with gains, stocks dropped on a weekly basis after six straight gains.

But the deadly swine-flu outbreak took center stage on Monday as the disease has killed 103 people in Mexico and virtually shut down Mexico City on Sunday. The market fear in particular is that the disease reportedly is being transmitted from human to human, unlike bird flu which was transmitted only from animals to humans."

WSJ.com: BEFORE THE BELL: US Stk Futures Dn On Swine Flu Worries

H1N1 Swine Flu Timemap

Here is a timemap of H1N1 Swine Flu, created from the RSS feed for the H1N1 Swine Flu Google Map.
The visualisation was created by Rod Page, using Nick Rabinowitz's TimeMap library.

H1N1 Swine Flu Timemap

Bloomberg: Swine Flu Outbreak Spurs Asia to Screen Travelers

Bloomberg: The swine-flu outbreak extended beyond Mexico and the U.S., prompting concern of a pandemic and forcing Asian countries to screen travelers.

Six people in Canada contracted swine flu and more cases are likely, government officials said. New Zealand said as many as 13 students who recently visited Mexico may have swine flu."

Swine Flu Outbreak Spurs Asia to Screen Travelers (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

Preventing Pandemics through Vaccination: A Look into the Past

Here is a summary-excerpt of a Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Case Study entitled, “Swine Flu: Analogies from the Past.” The main question it asks is, How to prevent pandemics through vaccination?

• Spanish Flu 1918: The great pandemic of 1918 countered one tenet after another of what many perceived were basic features shared by all previous pandemics.
o It struck much faster than was normal with an unprecedented mortality rate.
o Apparently healthy people showed the full set of symptoms in an hour.
o Disease raced through communities at a phenomenal rate – worldwide it killed over twice as many people as was killed in combat in WWI (over 20 million lives including 50K in the US alone)
o Pandemic hit in three separate waves in less than a year with the second wave being the most deadly.
o Pigs also suffered from Spanish flu – thus the name swine flu. An Iowa veterinarian, J.S. Koen, noted that pigs and people would both pick up the virus.

Preventing Pandemics through Vaccination: A Look into the Past

KESQ.com Palm Springs - Two People Tested for Swine Flu in Palm Springs

RIVERSIDE - No cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Riverside County, but two people who returned from Mexico had flu-like symptoms and were tested at a hospital in Palm Springs, with results pending, public health officials said today.

KESQ.com Palm Springs - Two People Tested for Swine Flu in Palm Springs

Will the swine flu grow into a pandemic?

In for a little gamble?

Make a prediction on Will the A/H1N1 swine flu grow into a pandemic as feared?

Reuters: WHO's war room in high gear after flu outbreaks

GENEVA (Reuters) - The Strategic Health Operations Center -- nicknamed the 'SHOC room' or war room' -- has kicked into high gear, staffed round-the-clock by experts fighting a new flu virus spreading in Mexico and the United States.

The World Health Organisation's nerve center for tracking epidemics and coordinating a response became fully operational on Thursday night as the first reports of multiple deaths emerged.

Reuters: WHO's war room in high gear after flu outbreaks

White House Briefing to Discuss Swine Flu (12:30pm EDT )

UPDATE: The transcript of the briefing.

NY Times: As Nations Try to Contain Flu, N.Y. Cases Are Confirmed

HONG KONG — Officials around the world raced to contain an outbreak of swine flu as cases were confirmed in New York on Sunday and potential ones were reported from New Zealand to Hong Kong to Spain, raising concerns about the potential for a global pandemic.

NY Times: As Nations Try to Contain Flu, N.Y. Cases Are Confirmed

NYC Health: Testing Confirms Swine Influenza at School in Queens

Tests conducted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed cases of human swine flu among students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens. The school is suspending classes on Monday. The affected students have experienced only mild symptoms and many are already improving, but a similar virus has recently caused deaths in Mexico.

All of the U.S. patients have recovered fully. The Health Department’s surveillance system has not shown a citywide increase in flu-like illness. An investigation of a cluster of children with illness in a Bronx daycare facility has so far not identified any confirmed or probable cases.

Testing Confirms Swine Influenza at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens

WHO | Current WHO phase of pandemic alert

In the 2009 revision of the phase descriptions, WHO has retained the use of a six-phased approach for easy incorporation of new recommendations and approaches into existing national preparedness and response plans. The grouping and description of pandemic phases have been revised to make them easier to understand, more precise, and based upon observable phenomena. Phases 1–3 correlate with preparedness, including capacity development and response planning activities, while Phases 4–6 clearly signal the need for response and mitigation efforts. Furthermore, periods after the first pandemic wave are elaborated to facilitate post pandemic recovery activities.

The current WHO phase of pandemic alert is 3.

WHO | Current WHO phase of pandemic alert

Contagion on a Small Planet - Dot Earth Blog - NYTimes.com

Andrew C. Revkin in his Dot Earth column:
"An urbanizing planet knitted by transportation is an extraordinarily welcoming world for infectious disease, particularly easily transmitted viruses like the flu. That’s why it wasn’t surprising Saturday when the World Health Organization concluded that the outbreaks of swine flu focused in central Mexico as well as a school in New York City and several other places around the United States officially constituted “a public health emergency of international concern.”"



NYTimes Dot Earth Blog: Contagion on a Small Planet

AP: White House to detail govt response to swine flu

The White House plans a briefing Sunday afternoon to discuss swine flu and the government's response.

The officials who will discuss the situation include Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Richard Besser.

The White House briefing is set for 12:30 p.m. EDT.

The Associated Press: White House to detail govt response to swine flu:

Sveriges Radio International - No Mass Vaccination Against Swine Flu

Passengers at Tijuana Airport

Swedish health authorities have no immediate plans for special protective measures against swine flu. After an analysis of the latest reports from Mexico the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control announced that at present there was no intention to launch mass vaccinations against the virus sickness. In a joint statement the disease control institute and the Civil Contingencies Agency said that there was no reason for panic or alarm. Swedish travelers who have recently visited Mexico were recommended to seek medical help in case of respiratory problems.

Sveriges Radio International - No Mass Vaccination Against Swine Flu

Los Angeles Times: Swine flu outbreak declared 'public health emergency'

Mexican pedestrians and motorists wait at the Ciudad Juarez crossing amid delays as U.S. authorities try to screen for possible swine flu cases. Health officials fear a global pandemic if the virus is found to transmit easily among humans. (Jesus Alcazar / EPA)

Reporting from Los Angeles and Mexico City -- International officials Saturday declared the swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the U.S. a 'public health emergency' as new cases were reported on both sides of the border and fears grew of a possible global epidemic.

The Mexican government indicated that the outbreak was more severe than originally acknowledged, announcing that more than 1,300 people are believed to have been infected. The virus, which the World Health Organization's top official said had 'pandemic potential,' is now suspected in the deaths of 81 Mexicans, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said.

Los Angeles Times: Swine flu outbreak declared 'public health emergency

RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia sets up commission to prevent swine flu outbreak

MOSCOW, April 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has set up a government commission to prevent the spread of swine flu in the country, the government's press secretary said on Sunday.

The Russian government is taking preventive measures following an outbreak of swine flu in Mexico that killed dozens of people, Dmitry Peskov said.

RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia sets up commission to prevent swine flu outbreak

BBC TV: Mexico flu 'a potential pandemic'

A clip by BBC News

A Disease A Day: In The News – All You Wanted To Know About Swine Flu (Influenza)

Normally, swine flu doesn’t infect humans. From December 2005 through February 2009, only 12 people were reported to be infected with swine flu. In most of these cases, these people had direct exposure to pigs. Since March 2009, though, the virus started spreading in humans in San Diego County and Imperial County, California, as well as in San Antonio, Texas and in Mexico. The total number of cases in the US alone in this month was 11 (the same number of humans infected in 4 years).

A Disease A Day: In The News – Swine Flu (Influenza) - All You Wanted To Know

Reuters: New Zealand pupils quarantined in swine flu scare

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A group of New Zealand school pupils and teachers just returned from Mexico were quarantined on Sunday after showing flu-like symptoms.

Public health officials said some of a group of three teachers and 22 students from a secondary school in the country's biggest city, Auckland, had shown influenza-like symptoms a day after returning from three weeks in Mexico.

They were being confined to their homes while the results of tests were awaited.

New Zealand pupils quarantined in swine flu scare | Health | Reuters

FP: Swine flu: Twitter's power to misinform

Who knew that swine flu could also infect Twitter? Yet this is what appears to have happened in the last 24 hours, with thousands of Twitter users turning to their favorite service to query each other about this nascent and potentially lethal threat as well as to share news and latest developments from Mexico, Texas, Kansas and New York (you can check most recent Twitter updates on the subject by searching for “swine flu” and “#swineflu”). And despite all the recent Twitter-enthusiasm about this platform's unique power to alert millions of people in decentralized and previously unavailable ways, there are quite a few reasons to be concerned about Twitter's role in facilitating an unnecessary global panic about swine flu.

Foreign Policy: Swine flu: Twitter's power to misinform | Net Effect

Swine Flu Outbreak: Perfect Case for Twitter | SEO Services

Swine flu proves a perfect case for widespread use of Twitter. Never before has there been a method by which important breaking news can spread with the velocity it is spread on Twitter. When I saw the stories of swine flu in the news, I tweeted about it, just as thousands of others did.

There has been a lot of misinformation on the topic of Swine Flu (H1N1), but the fact that Twitter has provided for such fast spread makes me wonder if Twitter can outspread the flu.

Swine Flu Outbreak: Perfect Case for Twitter | SEO Services

H1N1 Swine Flu Timeline

Note from the creator: Okay, a few things - you will not see exact death/infected counts here. Almost every news site out there has completely different estimates, all over the place. The red text next to the date shows what that specific source has picked up (articles are weighed against other articles automatically on Google News and duplicates are removed) and the most important information, which is regexed out of the article texts. If you see any PDF sources, they should have automatically been converted to PNG or plaintext.

H1N1 Swine Flu Timeline

Daily News: NYC health officials: At least 8 Queens students likely have swine flu

Students sickened at a Queens school probably have the dreaded swine flu that has killed dozens in Mexico and is threatening to erupt into a global pandemic, officials said Saturday.

Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said preliminary tests suggest the new bug raced through St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, where 200 students fell ill last week.

NYC health officials: At least 8 Queens students likely have swine flu; global pandemic fears grow

Washington Post: U.S. Slow to Learn of Mexico Flu

U.S. public health officials did not know about a growing outbreak of swine flu in Mexico until nearly a week after that country started invoking protective measures, and didn't learn that the deaths were caused by a rare strain of the influenza until after Canadian officials did.

The delayed communication occurred as epidemiologists in Southern California were investigating milder cases of the illness that turned out to be caused by the same strain of swine flu as the one in Mexico.

Washingtonpost.com: U.S. Slow to Learn of Mexico Flu

H1N1 Swine Flu - Google Maps

Track the spread of AH1N1 in Google Maps.

H1N1 Swine Flu - Google Maps

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The following information can help you provide safer care at home for sick persons during a flu pandemic.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Interim Guidance for Swine influenza A (H1N1): Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home

Fox News: The Most Powerful Virus Is Fear Not Flu

We hear about an unseen killer and we worry that we will be next. The best antidote for this kind of fear is the facts.

So let me take on the fear-laden terms. The first is pandemic. A pandemic means a new flu virus infecting people in several areas of the world at the same time. It can be mild, moderate, or severe. Everyone knows about the 1918 Blue Death that killed over 50 million people worldwide, but how many people realize that the last pandemic, in 1968, ameliorated by vaccines, antibiotics, and public health measures, killed only 32,000 in the U.S. and 700,000 worldwide, less than many yearly outbreaks.

The current swine flu outbreak is not a pandemic, as the outbreak is confined mainly to Mexico, but if it does become one, it is far more likely to be the 1968 variety because of modern public health measures and because we have been exposed to several parts of this virus before and have an immune memory to it.

FOXNews.com: Dr. Marc Siegel: The Most Powerful Virus Is Fear Not Flu

Huffington Post: WHO Chief: Swine Flu Has "Pandemic Potential"

MEXICO CITY — Mexico's president assumed new powers Saturday to isolate people infected with a deadly swine flu strain as authorities struggled to contain an outbreak that world health officials warned could become a global epidemic.

New cases of swine flu were confirmed in Kansas and California and suspected in New York City. But officials said they didn't know whether the New York cases were the strain that now has killed up to 81 people in Mexico and likely sickened 1,324 since April 13, according to figures updated late Saturday by Mexico's health secretary.

Huffington Post: WHO Chief: Swine Flu Has "Pandemic Potential"

Globeandmail.com: Montrealers under quarantine don't have swine flu

MONTREAL — Quebec's health ministry and hospital officials confirmed Saturday that the province has no confirmed cases of the swine flu that has gripped Mexico.
But they refused to comment on media reports that a woman placed in quarantine subsequently tested negative for the flu virus.

Globeandmail.com: Montrealers under quarantine don't have swine flu: report

Right Side News: Is the Swine Flu Outbreak a Bio-Terror Attack?

There are solid reasons to suspect that this new Mexican Swine Flu is NOT a naturally occurring event but instead is an Advanced Biological Warfare recombination DNA genetically engineered virus.
(...)
This new flu is likely a lab-created, genetically engineered virus that either: (1) Escaped accidentally from a lab; or (2) was deliberately released by a nation or non-state organization or a well-trained individual.
(...)
This event is an advanced biological warfare event. It is far more important than 9/11 and, by itself, could bring deaths in such magnitudes as to exceed the number of deaths from all causes in the Second World War.

Right Side News: Is the Swine Flu Outbreak a Bio-Terror Attack?

Newser: Tamiflu Useless Against Dominant Flu Strain

Newser.com reported in february '09 about the resistance of A/H1N1 to Tamiflu.

The dominant flu strain circulating in much of the US is nearly 100% resistant to Tamiflu, the most commonly used antiviral, the Los Angeles Times reports. Despite a milder than usual flu season, the resistance is still causing concern, and the CDC is advising doctors to substitute Tamiflu with Relenza, another antiviral, or mix it with an older one."

Newser: Tamiflu Useless Against Dominant Flu Strain

The Guardian: Swine flu symptoms similar to those of human flu

The symptoms of swine influenza in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal flu and include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing and sore throat. Some people have also reported vomiting and diarrhoea.

Testing has shown that the human swine influenza H1N1 can be treated with the antivirals oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).

Swine flu symptoms similar to those of human flu | World news | guardian.co.uk

CNN: More cases of swine flu reported

(CNN) -- A potentially deadly new strain of the swine flu virus cropped up in more places in the United States and Mexico on Saturday, in what the World Health Organization called "a public health emergency of international concern.The most recent reports Saturday afternoon were of two confirmed cases of the virus in Kansas -- bringing the number of confirmed U.S. cases to 11.

More cases of swine flu reported; WHO warns of 'health emergency' - CNN.com

REUTERS: Global flu epidemic fear grows

MEXICO CITY/GENEVA (Reuters) - A new flu that has killed up to 68 people in Mexico could start a global epidemic, the World Health Organization warned on Saturday, as tests showed the strain might be spreading in the United States.
Mexico's crowded capital, where most of the deaths happened and home to some 20 million people, hunkered down in fear of the swine flu.

REUTERS: Global flu epidemic fear grows, more U.S. cases

WHO: FAQ about Swine influenza

The WHO published a Swine influenza frequently asked questions paper
I answers these questions:
• What is swine influenza?
• What are the implications for human health?
• Where have human cases occurred?
• How do people become infected?
• Is it safe to eat pork meet and products?
• What about the pandemic risk?
• Is there a human vaccine to protect swine influenza?
• What drugs are available for treatment?

It is available as PDF.

Swineflu_Qanda_20090425.PDF

REUTERS: WHO calls emergency meeting

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization said on Friday it was calling an emergency committee to advise whether outbreaks of swine flu in humans in the United States and Mexico constituted an international public health threat.

WHO calls emergency meeting on swine flu | U.S. | Reuters

A Blog About Swine Influenza A H1N1

From Wikipedia:
The outbreak of a new strain of Swine Influenza A (H1N1), in late March 2009 infected many people in Mexico City, other regions of Mexico, and parts of the United States, causing severe illness and death in Mexico. By April, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) ^[7] have both expressed serious concerns that the novel strain, which apparently transmits from human to human and which to date has had a relatively high mortality rate in the possible and confirmed Mexican cases, has the potential to become a flu pandemic.

Outbreak

Train commuters in Mexico City wearing surgical masks in an attempt to protect themselves from the swine flu. Masks cannot filter viruses, but they can protect from aerosols and fingers that carry viruses.

In March and April 2009, over 1000 cases of unusually virulent flu in humans were detected in Mexico and the southwestern United States, causing more than 60 deaths, mostly in Mexico City and central Mexico.^[2] Some of these have been confirmed by the World Health Organization to be a never-before-seen strain of H1N1.^[8][1] The story of the outbreak was broadcast live first in Mexico on April 23, 2009. A new swine flu strain has been confirmed in 16 of the deaths and at least 100 others are being tested as of April 24, 2009.^[9] The Mexican fatalities are mainly young adults, a hallmark of pandemic flu.^[10]

Mexican Health Minister José Ángel Córdoba on April 24, said "We’re dealing with a new flu virus that constitutes a respiratory epidemic that so far is controllable."^[2]