Thursday, April 30, 2009

Swine Flu Update 4.30.09 Update


Okay So here is today's Update:
More than a 100 confirmed cases in over 11 states, and there is more News Below.Okay so the Hog People don't want it called Swine Flu....well , the Fact is that the Feces from a Large Smithfield Farm, US Owned that slaughters over a million pigs a year in Vera Cruz Mexico is being examined and tested for SWINE flu....And there are concerns that the Excrement are part of the Chain of the Outbreak. Scientists are trying to determine if it is actual exposure to the Feces or if flies are involved in the process.Lab samples have been sent to the University of New Mexico. Now let's be real about this, from a hygiene standpoint Feces and fecal matter present health threats, whether it be Hepatitis or CMV or other organisms.....So it is scientifically relevant. I can only hope that all the workers in that little village are being tested and their work practices examined. The Nature Network Link below has more on the Farm and the photos of a less than hygenic facility.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Really Interesting Post explaining Historical Information, and also explains about Large Pork Farms, and explains more about the Smithfield Farm issue. Nature Network is a forum of Scientists that is very interesting and thoughtful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Great post about the Hog Farm Issues....read more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LA Times has latest tally an information.114 Confirmed cases, and atleast 28 possibles, and new testing ongoing- so results take a few days.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And atleast now Migrants are being educated about it, which is wise since many are day travelers to Mexico, or have family there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Presidential Aide possible contracted Swine Flu when planning trip for Energy Secretary Steven Chu. He and his family are being checked.
Snippet:::
WASHINGTON ( huffpo) — "A security aide helping with arrangements during President Barack Obama's recent trip to Mexico became sick with flu-like symptoms and three members of his family later contracted probable swine flu, the White House said Thursday.The disclosure from press secretary Robert Gibbs comes days after the White House played down risks to the U.S. delegation on the two-day trip that started April 16. Gibbs remained steadfast that the president was never at risk of contracting the flu, which has quickly spread across the globe.The employee, who was not named by the White House, is an aide to Energy Secretary Steven Chu and helped plan the Mexico trip."This individual never flew on Air Force One," Gibbs said. "He was asked specifically if he ever came within 6 feet of the president and the answer to that was no."The aide arrived in Mexico on April 13, Gibbs said, and became ill on April 16. He developed a fever on April 17, the day Obama left Mexico for the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago. The person in question flew back commercially to Dulles on a United flight on April 18; Gibbs had no details yet on whether people on that flight have been notified."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Latest from Washington State has 6 possible Cases, one a pediatrician that treated children. The one possible Spokane cases now can not be located. Seattle PI has more on the situation for the state.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CDC Swine Flu Website
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr.Besser of CDC talking about Latest news on AM Shows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guardian Swine Page
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Travel Precautions for people that have to Fly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Readers Questions answered NYT- thorough,smartly done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later this evening I am setting up a blog just for the Swine Flu, as I am still trying to determine it's path, it's level of seriousness and the Facts.....stay tuned.

2 comments:

Annette said...

One reason they are objecting to the "swine flu" label is because it is a hybrid.. it is a mix of human, bird, and swine, so just calling it swine is a misnomer.. that's one reason they are trying to get away from it.. and so many are jumping to the conclusion that pork is the cause of it now.. Egypt is killing all their swine, some countries are pulling pork from the grocers, it's just going crazy. So they are trying to help where they can and allay some fears.

That's why I said it was getting blown out of proportion. Just like this morning.. VP Joe was asked what he would tell his family.. and he answered, what he would tell HIS FAMILY.. and it went crazy that he was telling people to stay off planes, subways and everything else. That's not what he said.. he said that's what he would and had said to HIS FAMILY.. I would tell mine the same thing.. you would tell 6-6 the same thing.. I am sure.
But because he is the VP they blew it out of proportion and made a federal case out of it...

enigma4ever said...

sigh....
yup...
I know....but the fact is that there are Scientists down in Mexico studying the HOG Waste at the Smithfield Farm in Vera Cruz....( so technically it is Hog Waste Flu...but that is a discussion for another day...)

About the Biden comment- he as usual was speaking - and about what he personally would advise his family....I think at some point here DHHS or CDC should perhaps issue travel advisory for Masks for contained Mass travel...
( ie planes , bus subway...etc )

But time will tell- it is 133 now in 18 states- that is an accelerated growth of a new organizm in less than 4 days...so we shall see-
I am starting just a Swine Blog...

I do know here the Hog Farmers are the ones pressuring the govt to change the name- on a virologist blog I went to they did say it is a Swine flu- but that it has patterns like avian flu or SARS....

there are 50 million without healthcare in this country- they remain my worry...